tasapuolisuutena

Tasapuolisuutena is the essive form of the Finnish noun tasapuolisuus, meaning fairness, impartiality or equality. The essive case, marked by the suffix -na, denotes a state or role, so tasapuolisuutena can be translated roughly as “as fairness” or “in the capacity of equality.” The expression is used to indicate that a statement, action or evaluation is framed or carried out in accordance with the principle of fair treatment.

In practice, tasapuolisuutena appears mainly in formal, administrative or legal language. It serves to situate a decision, measure or assessment within the normative concept of equal treatment, or to describe the intended or observed state of fairness in a process. The form does not introduce a new concept by itself; rather, it locates discourse within the ideal of fairness.

Linguistic notes: tasapuolisuutena is a product of combining tasapuolisuus with the essive suffix -na. It should be distinguished from tasapuolisuus (the noun “fairness”) and from other essive forms that express different nuances of state or role, such as oikeudenmukaisena (“as justice”). The choice of tasapuolisuutena depends on the desired emphasis on equal treatment as a guiding condition of the described action or policy.

See also: tasapuolisuus, essiivi (Finnish grammar).