Utilitarianism yields linear poverty measures while Rawlsian ethics weights the poorest

Evidence

The various semantic transformation lines in the poverty zone reflect different normative, philosophical, and moral perspectives on poverty. Utilitarianism is naturally associated with linear transformations, while Rawls’s and other moral arguments give additional weight to the very poor. — Gary Goertz, Social Science Concepts and Measurement, 682

Categorization

• XREF: Links measurement technique directly to ethical theory — the same linear-versus-convex choice reappears in welfare economics and capability approaches.