In today’s society, the terms “equality” is presumed to mean equality of outcome, yet to achieve equality you need to start from below and equality of opportunity can remove these prejudices from the selection process.

Equality of outcome looks to ensure people who are disadvantaged are making gains. Equality of opportunity looks to ensure that everyone has the same opportunities to make those gains.

An example of equality of outcome would be quotas. While they can accelerate change and representation of minority groups in the workforce, they can be seen as a superficial solution as they don’t tackle the deep-rooted societal issues that are causing inequality in the first place.

Striving for equality of opportunity would give everyone the chance to succeed in the areas they are best suited to, rather than just achieving equality on a surface level by fulfilling quotas to maintain the status quo.

we need equity more than equality.

• not everyone has the same access to resources, so to be on an equal playing field we must boost those who are at a disadvantage until we all start the race of life at the same time. different groups are hindered societally in different ways, so we need to address that. there isn't a one size fits all solution, we must listen and learn and adjust accordingly until people can confidently aim higher without being shot down for who they are.

• equality of outcome absolves those who made the mess of responsibility and places blame on affected groups. blaming everything on external factors allows people to conveniently forget their own advantages in life which make it easier for them to make gains without considering those who could also achieve success but were never given the chance for things out of their control.

• it only seems unrealistic or somewhat utopian because we think it is, which discourages progress. we have to begin to consider obstacles people face and then act accordingly to break those down, so people gain based on their merits as a person and not due to unfair social circumstances. it is easy to dismiss it as impossible but it is so incredibly worth it to not just hand out opportunities out of pity but to reform the status quo so that the best and brightest can thrive without worrying their identity will stop them. it is patronising to imply that who you are prevents you from doing well, people don't want to merely be a diversity quota filler, they want to show they are as capable as anyone else.

What is equal and what is fair are two different concepts. Equality of opportunity ensures that people benefit from their individual efforts to do better, so this is the goal that we should aim for.

A good society should be one that is fair and just. Equality differs from fairness as it measures status, quantity and value. In the pursuit to achieve a just society, the three main strands of socialism accept the concept of equality to varying degrees:

• Fundamentalists: Fundamentalist socialists such as communists and Marxists commit to absolute equality of outcome. They strive for a complete redistribution of wealth, full employment and the abolition of private property. Marx’s idea of “from each according to his ability, to each according to his need” reflects the idea of common ownership and equal gain in society.

• Revisionists: Revisionist socialists, otherwise known as social democrats, advocate for relative economic equality. They attempt to humanize capitalism through regulations and the welfare state, but ultimately allow it due to its ability to drive innovation.

• Neo-revisionists: Neo-revisionist socialists, also known as Third Way socialists, greatly favour equality of opportunity over equality of outcome. They strive to achieve a meritocracy where individuals are given the tools to achieve their full potential by championing initiatives such as access to education and the implementation of some form of a welfare state, even if this means accepting both economic and social inequality.

In my view, ensuring equality of opportunity is the most effective way for individuals to realize their own potential by giving them the chance to make use of their individual responsibility to map out their own path in life. Whilst this means that society may not be equal in an absolute sense, equality ensures that society is fair by ensuring that people get what they have worked hard for.