What does being equal with others consist of?

 After long philosophical discussions, we reached a consensus on how there are two parts to what equality truly means; distributive equality and Relational justice.

Distributive equality supports the idea that society can distribute equal resources to each individual, creating an equal start for everyone. Fair distribution of resources, which can provide equal building blocks, within a community is the focus of distributive justice. It addresses issues of what constitutes a reasonable and equitable distribution of opportunity, resources, money, and other valuables amongst the community in general. Distributive equality can cater to situations of disparities in income, education, healthcare, and other key resources, distributive justice helps bridge the gap between the privileged and the marginalized, reducing the cycle of poverty and promoting social mobility. Distributive justice allows individual chances to go up the social ladder, and change one’s socio-economic status. This can happen due to distributive justice providing material that can be used differently by different people. Distributive justice seeks to provide standards or guidelines for figuring out how to allocate resources fairly, and it frequently tackles issues of social and economic inequality. Depending on the particular philosophy or framework, it may take equality, need, merit, or other factors into account.  It fosters a sense of fairness, where individuals have a better chance to reach their full potential and participate in economic, social, and political life without being unduly hindered by circumstances of birth or bad luck. Meaning, that distributive equality can provide a better sense of freedom, equality, and opportunities in establishing a truly equal society.

         Relational justice emphasizes the value of reasonable and courteous relationships within society, which has a substantial positive impact on maintaining status quo equality. In today's world, when varied people and groups live side by side, building relationships based on justice, decency, and respect is crucial to building a society that is more just and equitable. Relational Justice supports equal status and relations, aiming to allow people to be at the same level of status no matter one’s capability in the Status Quo. It stops factors such as race, gender, or social status from influencing one’s ability to create relations with each other. Distributive equality can only focus on the aspect of money, unable to cater to the overall social cohesion in the Status Quo. Relational justice tackles prejudice, discrimination, and power disparities, assisting in the removal of structural obstacles that support injustice. It resolves social inequities and makes institutions and communities more inclusive by encouraging fair and courteous behavior for all. This approach emphasizes the importance of social ties and institutions as essential elements of a just and equitable society, acknowledging that genuine equality goes beyond equality of only financial resources and income. Societal problems are what stop society from being equal. The first and foremost thing to solve is racial inequalities, minorities, and gender inequalities to promote equality in society. By doing this, relational justice enhances the objectives of distributive justice and eventually advances a more all-encompassing and holistic understanding of equality under the status quo. 

          Although Distributive justice and relational justice may be perceived as two distinct ways of thought, both have to co-exist and create a delicate balance to create a truly equal society. In other words, distributive and relational justice may be the same ideology, characterized in two different ways.  At their core, both concepts recognize the importance of addressing inequalities and disparities within society. The pursuit of a just and equitable society unites these two strategies, realizing that building inclusive social relationships and allocating resources fairly are crucial components in accomplishing this broad objective. If there are unequal resources, it will create an imbalance in the relationship and create further differences of high and low status, also meaning differences in power. If there is not a similar starting point, but depending on brute luck, it will create social inequalities due to a high difference in what different people experience throughout their lives. Moreover, an unequal relationship will also result in differences in resources.  To establish a society where people not only have access to resources but also feel respected, fair, and included in their everyday interactions and experiences, a complete approach to justice frequently incorporates components of both distributive and relational justice. Therefore, ultimately both ideas can be merged into one.