The desire to serve everyone in the same way and at the same time has its charm. However, this is dangerous and wrong. Dangerous, because homogenous behavior carries within it the germs of injustice and is spiteful. Wrong, because its short-term consequences are unmanageability.

The idea that everything is done in a similar way, and at the same time (homogenously) comes from the factory model, which has spread its enthusiasm to other spheres such as public policies. But homogeneity, that is, giving “identical” treatment to everyone regardless of their condition, brings more difficulties than benefits.

So, for example, if the company decides to “homogenously” raise everyone’s salary by 10%, those who earn over $3,000 will increase their monthly compensation by $300; while in the same company those earning $450 will only benefit from $45. In such a way that a homogeneous measure of wage increase turns out to be a measure that deepens social inequality and breaks social relations.

The terms equality and homogeneity seem to be synonymous; but they didn’t. Equality is a political concept that refers to the right to access social goods and to make decisions about issues affecting the environment. Whereas homogeneity is an operative term that refers to exact or identical treatment for all members of a group, regardless of the condition that characterizes it.

So, although men and women are equal in the right to participate in matters that concern us and to make decisions, it is unfair that pregnant women are treated in a homogenous or identical way as a young man, with full use of his physical abilities. To distinguish such subtleties, it is necessary to identify the sociodemographic and economic conditions surrounding each human group and geographical area of ​​territory. In a city, if its municipality creates “homogeneous” taxes for all districts. The most depressed sectors will contribute proportionally more funds than the most developed areas of the city.

Avoiding the injustice of homogeneous measures requires more than good intentions. Each instance must analyze the socioeconomic composition of its organization, company or geographic area. With accurate data, it is important that decision-making groups calculate the effects of each measure.

So how to act? In order to have a positive effect on the territory, there are measures of “affirmative action” or “positive discrimination”, two useful political tools in times of social unrest, poverty and violence. Their implementation requires more than political will, but also technical, economic and social knowledge, therefore it is urgently necessary to make intelligent and differentiated decisions.

Let’s hope that in the coming months, reason will prevail and those who manage the state and its institutions will make wise decisions based on an analysis of the living conditions surrounding the citizens. Well, although we are all equal, we do not deserve homogeneous treatment, but different treatment, depending on the specific circumstances surrounding us. (OR)