Analysis of two forms of inequality: exploitation and discrimination
This article develops an integrated framework for analysing social inequality through the concepts of exploitation and discrimination. It distinguishes Inequality of outcome from inequality of opportunity arguing that exploitation is not a unitary phenomenon, as traditionally conceived in Marxist theory, but a multidimensional one. Likewise, gender, ethnic, and generational inequalities, as well as distinctions between citizens and non-citizens, are not isolated processes but can be analytically unified within the Weberian concept of discrimination. By refining these concepts and clarifying their interplay, the article provides a mechanism-oriented approach that can be applied to empirical research on contemporary forms of inequality.
Authors
- Fernando Osvaldo Esteban (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1666-3656)
Institutions
- Universitat de València (ES)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Humanities and Social Sciences Communications
- Published
- 2026-06-09
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-026-07320-x
- Primary Topic
- Global trade, sustainability, and social impact
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00