On comparing distribution processes

Distribution processes are usually only compared with respect to their result, i.e. the distribution of income among individuals (or households). this limitation is unsatisfactory when a broad welfare theoretic conception of economic justice is borne in mind: not only the 'static' inequality as exhibited by a given distribution of income has to be taken into account. full consideration has to be given as well to the underlying mechanism by which income is distributed, i.e. the 'imputation mechanism' . given a model of the imputation mechanism, it is possible to construct measures of 'process inequality' (as opposed to measures of 'static' inequality of a particular distribution of income). this is done for the 'chance' model whichis related to the conception of 'unequal opportunities'. on the basis of a 'dynamic equity principle' the measure (d) of process inequality is derived. it is shown that the measure (d) of process inequality contains normatively relevant information which could not be obtained by taking only 'static' inequality measures into account.;