Plural of inequality; differences in size, degree, circumstances, or treatment that are often considered unfair or unjust.
From Latin 'in-' (not) + 'aequalis' (equal) + '-ity' suffix, through Old French. The mathematical sense developed in the 17th century, while the social justice meaning became prominent in the 20th century.
Mathematical inequalities use symbols like < and > that were introduced by Thomas Harriot in 1631, revolutionizing how we express relationships between quantities. Social inequalities often compound over generations through mechanisms economists call 'intergenerational mobility' - or the lack thereof.
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