Joseph Pallattil

Equity in general sense means that the quality of being fair and impartial. Kant was a sturdy proponent of this equality. Kant in his ideological framework never treats mercy as a virtue. For him mercy is equal to injustice.  According to Kant the law of punishment is categorical imperative, everyone who commits the crime should be accountable for the crime he committed. Kant always insists that persons should be treated equally especially in the realm of punishment. The Metaphysics of Morals of Kant is the elaborated and profound narrations of punishment and its justifications. As per Kant the authentic punishment can never be imposed merely as means to promote some good for the criminal himself or the civil society.  It must always be inflicted upon him only because he has committed a crime.
Kant has put forward two senses of modalities to the impartial treatment of punishment. The first one is about considering the balance between explicit violations and their comparing punishments. The second kind of equity includes guaranteeing that the individuals who have carried out similar wrongdoings or crimes are given a similar punishment. Both of these findings are important for Kant due to different reasons. Kant also remains us that it is also a duty of human beings to forgive. But, the act of forgiving is not the permission to do the wrong again but it is a gentle reminder to do the responsibilities he entrusted with.
Kant constantly insists on the importance of rejecting the arbitrary practice of punishment throughout his narrations, either greater benevolence or greater severity. He severely criticizes such practices of the monarchs. Kant’s orientation to impartiality and equity alienates him from speaking about mercy and compassion. His strong sense of equality and impartiality leads him always doubtful towards the concept of mercy and he believes the merciful practice is prone to inequality.
Mercy and equality should be read from different angles. When equality considers everyone as the same mercy considers the more needed. We can call it as equity “considering the needy more”. Kant was more focused on equality over equity.