Equality of autonomy is a
political philosophy
Political philosophy or political theory is the philosophical study of government, addressing questions about the nature, scope, and legitimacy of public agents and institutions and the relationships between them. Its topics include politics, l ...
concept of
Amartya Sen
Amartya Kumar Sen (; born 3 November 1933) is an Indian economist and philosopher, who since 1972 has taught and worked in the United Kingdom and the United States. Sen has made contributions to welfare economics, social choice theory, economi ...
that argues "that the ability and means to choose our life course should be spread as equally as possible across society"—i.e., an equal chance at
autonomy or
empowerment
Empowerment is the degree of autonomy and self-determination in people and in communities. This enables them to represent their interests in a responsible and self-determined way, acting on their own authority. It is the process of becoming strong ...
.
Equality of autonomy strives to spread empowerment widely so that "given their circumstances", people have more "choice and control".
The concept has a slightly different emphasis from related notions, such as the value of
equality in the workplace ("
equal opportunity
Equal opportunity is a state of fairness in which individuals are treated similarly, unhampered by artificial barriers, prejudices, or preferences, except when particular distinctions can be explicitly justified. The intent is that the important ...
") or equal material wealth ("
equality of outcome").
According to
Todd May, Sen's approach requires "
active intervention of institutions like the state into people's lives" but with an aim towards "fostering of people's self-creation rather than their living conditions".
Sen argued that "the ability to convert incomes into opportunities is affected by a multiplicity of individual and social differences that mean some people will need more than others to achieve the same range of
capabilities".
See also
*
Capability approach
* ''
Development as Freedom''
*
Egalitarianism
Egalitarianism (), or equalitarianism, is a school of thought within political philosophy that builds from the concept of social equality, prioritizing it for all people. Egalitarian doctrines are generally characterized by the idea that all hu ...
*
Equality of opportunity
Equal opportunity is a state of fairness in which individuals are treated similarly, unhampered by artificial barriers, prejudices, or preferences, except when particular distinctions can be explicitly justified. The intent is that the important ...
*
Equality of outcome
*
Inequity aversion
References
Affirmative action
Amartya Sen
Social inequality
Egalitarianism
Feminist economics
Autonomy
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