Equity theory and social justice

Abstract

In the eleventh century, St. Anselm of Canterbury argued that the will possesses two competing affinities: an affection for what is to a person’s own selfish advantage and an affection for justice. The first inclination may be stronger, but the second also matters. Equity theory, too, posits that in personal, social, and societal relationships, two concerns stand out: first, how much reward does a person reap from a given social relationship? Second, how fair and equitable is that relationship? According to equity theory, people feel most comfortable when their relationships are maximally profitable and they are giving and getting exactly what they deserve from their relationships – no more and certainly no less.In this review, we will begin by describing the classic equity paradigm and the supporting research. We will then review the history of equity research. In the 1960s and 1970s, scholars generally concentrated on testing Equity Theory’s applicability to romantic, social, and business relationships. More recently, scholars have attempted to speculate about why people in almost all societies share a concern with social justice and equity. We close by predicting that the next stage in equity and social justice research, scholars will explore (1) who is to be included in the “moral community,” (2) a commentary on the current political debate as to the ideal balance between personal interest and social justice, and (3) how governments, business, and social activists can best foster that ideal.