Equity means equality of outcome, not equality of opportunity. It is the very DNA of Marxism and everything bad flows from it, as we saw in the Soviet Union, Mao's China, North Korea, Cuba and Venezuela.

Miranda Devine’s quote, “Equity means equality of outcome, not equality of opportunity. It is the very DNA of Marxism and everything bad flows from it, as we saw in the Soviet Union, Mao's China, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela,” offers a critique of the concept of equity. Devine, an Australian journalist and conservative commentator, is drawing a distinction between two different visions of equality: equality of opportunity, which focuses on providing everyone with the same chances to succeed, and equality of outcome, which seeks to ensure that everyone achieves the same results, regardless of their starting point. She argues that equity, as she defines it, aligns with the idea of equality of outcome and is a central tenet of Marxism.

In this quote, Devine expresses a strong opinion that equality of outcome—the notion that everyone should end up in the same place regardless of individual effort or circumstances—is a flawed concept, and that the pursuit of it has led to negative outcomes in various Marxist regimes. By referencing historical examples like the Soviet Union, Mao's China, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela, she argues that these societies attempted to enforce equality of outcome through authoritarian measures, which ultimately led to economic collapse, political repression, and societal suffering. She associates equity with a Marxist framework that she believes is responsible for these negative outcomes.

Devine’s critique is rooted in the idea that equality of opportunity—where everyone has an equal chance to succeed, but outcomes are determined by individual effort and ability—is a more sustainable and just approach. She argues that pursuing equality of outcome, on the other hand, leads to inefficiency, authoritarianism, and the erosion of individual freedom. According to Devine, Marxism inherently aims to impose an artificial equality of results, which disrupts societal progress and leads to centralized control over the economy and the people.

Ultimately, Devine’s quote serves as a warning against policies that aim to achieve equity through equality of outcome. She contends that such policies, grounded in Marxism, have historically failed and caused harm in several communist regimes. By framing equity as synonymous with Marxism, she challenges the current political discourse around social justice, advocating instead for a focus on providing everyone with equal opportunity rather than trying to equalize results.