A thin marginal line stands between the words equality and equity. How different are they from each other, and what makes them similar in this capitalist society? What do we need to learn to understand equity collectively?

Understanding equity in a postmodern capitalist society is crucial in leveling everybody’s playing field. Equality and equity are societal concepts that fall under the ‘same difference’ category. Both terminologies have distinct meanings for us to understand them clearly. Fairness between one and the other can pertain to the difference yet dramatic for economically disadvantaged people.

To understand equality and equity, you can start with the book ‘LET THE PLAYING FIELD LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD’ by Dennis Joiner. Understanding America’s political and socioeconomic playing field is challenging for those unfamiliar. However, we’re already in a time where we live in centuries-old inequality. It’s a must for us to learn how we can navigate through it.

Equality generally pertains to the same opportunities for all sectors of society. Equity, however, goes the extra mile and stretches across varied levels of support. Equity also depends on the necessity of that same support to achieve the best outcome. Equality focuses on evenness for everybody. Equity focuses on how resources can be given to people with varying needs to meet fair results.

Simplifying the two extremes

Living in a predetermined society made equality so appealing. After all, we deserve more than we currently have, and America is a country that should prioritize equal rights for all. Regardless of race, gender, etc., fairness in socioeconomic aspects should be naturally given. Unfortunately, countless powers in society have prevented easy access to those opportunities.

This pressing issue in American society takes a long time to discuss. The staggering difference in social class for generations led to many socioeconomic discrepancies. Four measures were also used as a standard of living in our current society. Education levels, occupation, income, and wealth determine a person’s worth.

What individual amounts to those aspects were the crucial resources and gears to get through society. However, there’s a bigger lens that should be focused on equity.

Why is equity more necessary than equality?

Part of understanding equity is to look back on how we comprehend equality. While both have the same intentions and end goal, they have differences in the means to achieve them. Given the default setting of socioeconomic equality as a fair way to live, here are other reasons that equality is essential:

It reduces poverty.
Communities can be healthier.
Violence is reduced.
Education is significantly improved.
Disability rights are valued.
Economic benefits are attainable.
Unfair justice systems will be addressed.

It’s not easy to develop human rights, much more the minorities that rely on them to be treated as human beings. Issues that threaten human rights perpetuate in society, and dignity is something that these minorities have to fight for. Commitment to tackling this socioeconomic disparity is the bare minimum, yet the most difficult for those in power.

The interchangeable use of equality and equity complicates the situation more than it already is. Understanding equity as a cog in the machine is detrimental to the ideal world we envision. Many people with socioeconomic disadvantages think their voices don’t matter in a large room with the loud and powerful.

Shifting the gear in equity

We need to put more thought into vividly understanding equity as the ultimate way to achieve equality; rather than the latter as the fuel to lead people to live happier and healthier life. Why should we make equity the prime solution to achieving inequality?

Here is an example: people with disabilities are a marginalized group with complex needs. The necessary resources for them are varied compared to people with abled bodies. While this scenario seems unequal, we need to look at this in another way. The leveled playing field is possible by contemplating the result of distributing resources to those who need them the most.

And judging by the hopes that the majority of society’s different sectors understand the bigger picture, equity doesn’t focus on the even amount of necessary resources given. Understanding equity means meeting halfway. And without it as a driving force for socioeconomic equality, it might even cause further inequality.