What does substantive equality refer to within Principles of Justice?

What does substantive equality refer to within Principles of Justice?

• A. Treating everyone exactly the same
• B. Providing different treatment to achieve equal outcomes
• C. Ignoring individual circumstances
• D. Ensuring equal outcomes through identical processes

Answer: (B)

Substantive equality is about fairness in outcomes by recognizing that people have different starting points and needs. Rather than treating everyone identically, it supports giving different treatment to address those differences so that everyone has real, comparable opportunities and results. In practice, this might mean targeted support, accommodations, or other adjustments designed to remove disadvantages and create true equality of outcome. Treating everyone exactly the same would overlook these differences; ignoring individual circumstances runs counter to substantive equality; and insisting on identical processes alone doesn’t guarantee equal outcomes if there are unequal starting points. Providing different treatment to achieve equal outcomes best captures the idea.

Substantive equality is about fairness in outcomes by recognizing that people have different starting points and needs. Rather than treating everyone identically, it supports giving different treatment to address those differences so that everyone has real, comparable opportunities and results. In practice, this might mean targeted support, accommodations, or other adjustments designed to remove disadvantages and create true equality of outcome. Treating everyone exactly the same would overlook these differences; ignoring individual circumstances runs counter to substantive equality; and insisting on identical processes alone doesn’t guarantee equal outcomes if there are unequal starting points. Providing different treatment to achieve equal outcomes best captures the idea.