Equality of opportunity versus equality of opportunity sets

E. Ooghe, Erik Schokkaert and Dirk Van de gaer

Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium from Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration

Abstract: We characterize two different approaches to the idea of equality of opportunity. Roemer’s social ordering is motivated by a concern to compensate for the effects of certain (non-responsibility) factors on outcomes. Van de gaer’s social ordering is concerned with the equalization of the opportunity sets to which people have access. We show how different invariance axioms open the possibility to go beyond the simple additive specification implied by both rules. This offers scope for a broader interpretation of responsibility-sensitive egalitarianism.

Keywords: equality of opportunity; opportunity sets; responsibility-sensitive egalitarianism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D64 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 27 pages
Date: 2004-03
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-mic
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Equality of Opportunity versus Equality of Opportunity Sets (2007)
Working Paper: Equality of opportunity versus equality of opportunity sets (2007)
Working Paper: Equality of opportunity versus equality of opportunity sets (2003)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:rug:rugwps:04/240

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