"Bus fares rose" can be checked using evidence: this is a positive statement.
"Bus fares should be free" says what someone thinks is fair: this is a normative statement. Evidence alone cannot decide what is fair.
Positive — go and check
- “Bus fares rose 12% last year.”
- “A higher minimum wage costs some jobs.”
- Evidence can settle it.
Normative — depends what you value
- “Bus fares should be free for students.”
- “The minimum wage ought to be higher.”
- No evidence settles it.
Positive does not mean true: “The moon is made of cheese” is positive. It is checkable, and false.
Positive means evidence could settle it — not it is right.
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Two words that sound alike and mean different things. Examiners set questions on the gap.
| Equality | Equity | |
|---|---|---|
| Means | Everyone treated the same | Everyone gets what is fair |
| Bus fares | £2 for everybody | Free for students, full price for commuters |
| Tax | £1,000 from every adult | A higher rate on higher earners |
| Who decides? | Nobody — it is arithmetic | You do. It is a value judgement |
Most policy rows are normative in disguise: Two people can agree exactly on what a policy does and still argue about doing it.
Spotting that is an evaluation mark.