Equality in Argentine law: from norm to value and its reconstruction as a principle

• Autor: Martínez, Rubén
• Formato: artículo
• Fecha de Publicación: 2025
• Institución: Colegio de Abogados de Lambayeque
• Repositorio: CAL-Chornancap
• Lenguaje: español
• OAI Identifier: oai:www.icallambayeque.org.pe/rjchornancap:article/125
• Enlace del recurso: https://revistajuridicachornancap.icallambayeque.org.pe/index.php/oficial/article/view/125
• Nivel de acceso: acceso abierto
• Materia: Igualdad; Derecho; Doctrina; Jurisprudencia; Examen de proporcionalidad; Equality; Law; Doctrine; Jurisprudence; Proportionality test

Equality in law stands as a fundamental pillar of modern legal systems, although its content, scope, and effectiveness remain subject to ongoing debate. Both legal doctrine and jurisprudence - shaped by historical, political, and normative contexts - have delineated the contours of this law, giving rise to approaches that range from a formal conception to a substantive one. In this regard, the present article seeks to examine, through the study of the Argentine constitutional system and its reforms, the two predominant conceptions found in national legal doctrine and case law: equality as a “norm” and equality as a “value.” Building on this foundation, a third conceptual proposal is introduced: equality as a “principle,” framed within the theory of fundamental rights developed by German jurist Robert Alexy, which offers a renewed perspective for understanding the issue. Finally, an Argentine judicial decision is analyzed in which these conceptions are confronted, exploring the practical implications of their application in the context of judicial review of constitutionality and conventionality.