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Evaluating distributions of opportunities from behind a veil of ignorance: A robust approach

Author

Listed:
  • Francesco Andreoli

    (UNIVR - Università degli studi di Verona = University of Verona)

  • Mathieu Faure

    (AMSE - Aix-Marseille Sciences Economiques - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - ECM - École Centrale de Marseille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Nicolas Gravel

    (AMSE - Aix-Marseille Sciences Economiques - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - ECM - École Centrale de Marseille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Tista Kundu

    (CSH - Centre de sciences humaines de New Delhi - MEAE - Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

This paper provides a robust criterion for evaluating the allocation of opportunities among various groups. We envisage the problem of comparing these allocations from the view point of an ethical observer placed behind a veil of ignorance with respect to the group in which he/she could end up. We give justi…cation for such an ethical observer to evaluate these allocations of opportunities on the basis of an expected valuation of the expected utility of being in a group assuming an equal probability of falling in every group. We identify a criterion for comparing societies that is agreed upon by all such ethical observers who exhibit aversion to inequality of opportunities. The criterion happens to be a conic extension of zonotope inclusion criterion. We provide various interpretations of this criterion as well as some illustrations of its possible use, notably in the Indian context where we evaluate the inequalities of educational opportunities among castes and genders o¤ered by Indian states.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesco Andreoli & Mathieu Faure & Nicolas Gravel & Tista Kundu, 2021. "Evaluating distributions of opportunities from behind a veil of ignorance: A robust approach," Working Papers halshs-03294267, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-03294267
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03294267
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nicolas Gravel & Thierry Marchant & Arunava Sen, 2011. "Comparing Societies with Different Numbers of Individuals on the Basis of Their Average Advantage," Studies in Choice and Welfare, in: Marc Fleurbaey & Maurice Salles & John A. Weymark (ed.), Social Ethics and Normative Economics, pages 261-277, Springer.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    equalizing opportunities; groups; zonotopes; gender; education;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality

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