The Concept of Fairness and Its Role in a Country

Fairness is a concept that needs to be emphasized in forming a successful country. As fairness can help in ensuring the welfare of the society is protected and reducing the disparities among society. This concept also important to the society unless the people in the society admit that the society, economic and the country are fair enough then it is become something that not matters anymore. There is also analysis show that the unfairness can effect the economic outcomes and the state administration. In order to approach fairness, we have to understand what is fairness. What is the concept of fairness? Does the fairness is effective for the country? Welch (2000) stated fairness is complicated because of its multiple meanings consisting of equality, equity and adequacy.

Equality is about same or equivalent? It is defined as equal, which means the society have the same rights, privileges, ability or rank while equity is the fairness concept which an equitable fair share is proportional to what the person have earned and adequacy as a fairness principle means assuring that people have enough. Based on the article of “Έgalité: What Is Fair” that I have read, the equality policy applied in the 1965 civil rights law which is introduced as “equal pay”. This policy used the concept of same pay for the same work within the same company. However it is not a success policy during that time, so it change to the other version which is “equivalent”. The new policy concept is equal pay for work of equal value among different jobs. This show that equivalent concept apply by ensuring the satisfaction of the needs and wants of a person. As for me, the latest concept which is “equivalent” is better rather than “equal pay” because the concept is more fairness to the people. They will get the reward based on the work that they have done. In order to improve the principle of fairness, there are also equality inputs and equality outputs introduced to the society. Equality inputs means everyone gets the same but may end up unequal while equality outcomes means everyone gets different but depends on needs but may end up equal. In my opinion, to react to this concept I prefer the equality outcomes because it depends on the person needs and circumstances other than give the same input but some of the people does not need the input at all. Other than that, the article also stated that equality can be differ by comparing three point of policy which is vertical, horizontal and temporal.

Although each is called equality, but the policy implication may be quite different. Vertical equality is comparing whether anyone is higher or lower, better or worse off, than any other, it means compares all people. Horizontal equality compares the people within subgroups that have the same circumstance or needs. Temporal equality make the comparison of the same person or groups at the different times. Besides, in this article also mentioned about the equity concept of fairness. Equity is the fairness concept which an equitable fair share is proportional to what the person have earned. This concept mostly measured by the economic market value of output. For example, you do something based on how much you paid. . However as for me, this concept does not achievable in diverse society. This concept failed to measure the actual work performance by the people.

As all the flaws comes from this principle, advocates of market equity argue that it is the best system for producing social goods because reward and punishment are the dominant work incentives. But pure equality would make the society become lazy and irresponsible person. The equity approach creates a meritocracy in which the best rise to the top as this not benefits everyone. In order to overcome the disparities of income and wealth preside among the community that approached equity, procedural equity introduced to the society. Procedural equity is horizontal equality which it is offered to those who have the same or like circumstances. Other than that, there is also the concept of full equity which is means vertical equality of opportunity. As all people did not born equal, affirmative action need to be form to equalize the opportunity of the society. There are two basic approaches in the principle of affirmative action. One is to reduce advantages. Another affirmative action is compensatory preferences. I literally agree with the improvement concept of equity in order to ensure the fairness among the society. To react about the affirmative action, I agree that this concept can help to decrease the disparities of income to the society of the country. Equity narrowly means horizontal equality principle. This principle focus on the group that have similar circumstances in order to achieve their fairness. However, equity does not means equality in incomes. Some people considered incomes as contribution to society. There is evidence that full-equity policies, by reducing inequality caused by discrimination and historical and social fortune do in practice lessen vertical inequality. By applying this principle particularly give the benefit to the minorities and women in a lower-middle to upper-middle range. During that period, the top share dropped moderately.

However, in 1980s they moved away from full-equity principles and at the end of the decade the top share regained. So, this means that full-equity policies unachievable applied in the society. Adequacy narrowly means barely satisfactory or fully sufficient. Politically this principle used to lower the statistics of poverty. Absolute or relative terms also refer to adequacy. Absolute calculations based on the specifically define objective standards, such as the poverty line and BLS lower living level. It is influenced by time, place, culture, the economy, and politics. In the other words, it affected by the surrounding and environment. Relative adequacy looks at social and psychological factors, for example self-esteem, satisfaction, status, respect, and social integration.

To conclude the adequacy can mean either bare subsistence or a fully satisfactory level. There is also principle which provide both for minimum adequacy and inequality above that level which is multiple tiers. However, in this article also mentioned about the nonfairness doctrines. It support that social policy does not necessarily based on the three criteria which is equality, equity and adequacy but it is variously on God’s will. As conclusion, it is true that issues about fairness occur throughout society however it is impossible to achieve fairness in this world. The concept of fairness can be change depends on the situation or environment. In my college, many individuals feel that they have been treated unfair when they see others get reward for their effort but not all individuals can give the same effort to get the same reward. The same situation also can make the individuals struggle more to get the reward as others. Therefore, the world in many situations is not fair, but with a little effort and self-advocating this can change. In each of the aforementioned situations the person in question changed their behaviors to get what they wanted. As a result, individuals do not see everything occurring to them as being fair but if offered the opportunity to see why these situations are not fair they usually can change their actions so they will reap the benefits being offered.