:: Equality vs Equity ::

More about my gratifying sociology lessons in class. I did grasping during the lessons, trying assiduously to figure out the meanings beyond all the theories and becloud fragments of social life. However I will just write a short ‘note’ this time, as for me to recall what have been taught as well as to acquaint them with my everyday life.

Karl Marx is one of the theorists which join the camp of conflict theory. He is also the initiator of communism theory (A political theory favoring collectivism in a classless society). He lived in poor, and died in poor, within a capitalist society. He did not even get the opportunity to see how his theory of communism is being applied as well as how it crumbles day by day. For him, economy affects everything in life. It plays a vital role in decision-making, family institutions, country, personal problems and lots more. He even stated that “if you change the economy, the whole social institution will change”. See how economy is considered as everything for him? Here are some examples to support his theory:

1. When a woman is choosing a life-partner, she will pick a business tycoon rather than a taxi driver.

2. When you are being given options of jobs, between a lecturer, cleaner, financial executive, etc, you’ll probably select the job with the highest rate of wage.

3. When you are to choose between sweeping the path and making business, you will undoubtedly choose the second one.

It’s all about money, and it proves that economy really affects your life.

However there are flaws in this theory. Max Weber, who came after him, did correct some elements in his ideology. Karl Marx forgotten that despite of economy, there are many other things which affects someone’s decision-making, such as religion, power, love, and more. Examples:

1. Teaching is the noblest job but the least salary does it gain. However there are still numerous people who choose to be a teacher, regardless of his/her ability to get other jobs in other fields. Why? More often than not, the reason is love as well as family. Some love teaching so much & some had to become one since for him/her; teacher will have more time to be spent at home compared to other careers.

2. Rearing pigs are easier than to rear cows. However, if a Muslim were given chance to choose between these two occupations, he’ll kindly decline the pig-rearing. The reason here is not economy, indeed it is Islam (religion).

So that’s the preface of Karl Marx theory. Actually the point that I want to stress much from his theory is about his goal behind it; a classless society & equality.

Equality sounds to be like a very nice and prominent value in life. However, in most situations, equality is less important than equity. Equality means: The quality of being the same in quantity or measure or value or status, whereas equity means: to go for the need. Exercising equality can sometimes lead to atrocious impacts. For example:

1. There are 4 siblings. Their parents spend lots of money to send them to a medical school even though the last one hate it and is more into architecture. There’s equality (giving the same amount to all parties) here but rarely does it brings good aftermath.

2. Once in a month, each person in the society is given RM500 from the government, regardless of the status. Yes, there’s equality here but no equity. How bad it will be. Money reaches even to the hands of those who are not in need of them.

3. In one class, there are 20 female and 3 male. One day, the lecturer assigned his students to complete a task, which is to write summaries of books. 47 books were given to the female group as well as to the male group. That’s equality, but real far from fairness.

That are some of the example to show how equality cannot be considered as synonym to justice and fairness.

Got to go… I’ll write more on equality-equity in my next Malay entry. Insha ALLAH…