Treating equals equally
Also called: Equal treatment for equals · Topic: Equality and Social Justice · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 4 "Social Justice"
Meaning
This is the first of NCERT's three principles of justice. All human beings share common features, so all deserve equal civil, political and social rights. No one should face discrimination because of caste, class, race or gender. So the same work must earn the same reward. In India, Art. 39(d) calls for equal pay for men and women. Randhir Singh (1982) read "equal pay for equal work" into Arts. 14 and 16. The Code on Wages 2019 bans gender discrimination in pay.
Example
Paying ₹100 to a worker of one caste and ₹75 to a worker of another caste for the same work is unjust. So is paying a male teacher more than a female teacher for the same job.
Don't confuse with
- Proportionate justice: this gives different rewards for different effort, skill or risk. Treating equals equally gives the same reward for the same work.