A contribution to the economic theory of equity.

Summary This thesis consists of two parts. The first is a synthetic presentation of normative economics. It deals with social choice, the opposition between utilitarianism and egalitarianism, models of inequality, the critique of welfarism, the liberalism of Marxian exploitation, bargaining and the absence of envy. The second examines non-Walfarist theories of equality (Rawls, Sen. . . ). It begins with a three-chapter study of the problem of compensation for disadvantage. The fourth chapter returns to the philosophical aspects of the debate. The last chapter proposes an application to direct taxation, which focuses on individual budget sets.