Equality: What the Hell Does that Mean?

Second Idea of Equality: Equality at the End

The second idea of equality can come in two forms of which only the second is credible in the modern western world. The first form is an idea on its own; the second is an extension of the first idea of equality.

Equality at the End, as an idea on its own, doesn’t believe that people are equal in any way other that being born human beings. Some are smart, others stupid; some are strong, others weak, therefore any real form of equality must be enforced by the state to equal out these differences. If we continue with the race analogy, it would mean that the rules of the race would hinder anyone out distancing any other runner. If it is forced, say officials placing weights on the legs of the faster runners to slow them down, it’s called coercive. If it is done by making the rules indicate that everyone loses the race unless all finish it simultaneously, it’s called co-operative. We see this idea of equality reflected best in a Communist (coercive) or Socialist state (co-operative).

Equality at the End, as an extension of the first idea, also believes in the supremacy of ability and choice of its citizens in the race of life. But it also believes that no one, in actuality, ever has just ability and choice helping him or her finish the race quicker. Some racers will be given steroids, others will have weights placed on their legs because of the way they look, others will not arrive at the race because they can’t access the track, and others won’t be invited at all. What the second form of Equality at the End tries to do is remove these factors from influencing the results of the race.

Some good examples of removing these hindrances (the weights on the legs, access to the track, and lack of invitation factors) would be the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (in Canada), The Bill of Rights (in the United States), Employment Equity, Affirmative Action, Scholarships, and Wheelchair accessibility legislation. Some of the best examples of the steroids factor are inheritance (benefits those with wealth), nepotism, patronage, and wealth itself.

Third Idea of Equality: More Equality for those Affected

Although laws affect everyone, they affect different people in different degrees. This third idea of equality tries to mitigate this discrepancy in effect; by giving those more affected, more of a voice in the law’s change or implementation. With this idea, any change in the laws on abortion would be decided on by women more than men; on gay issues, homosexuals more than heterosexuals; on tuition fees, students more than workers; and on minimum wage, workers and employers more than the unemployed or self employed.

Conclusion

The three examples discussed above do not constitute all the ideas concerning what has been thought of over the centuries on the topic of equality.  They are just the prevailing views of today.  Which one is the most just is anyone's opinion, perhaps the hybrid of all three, which is what we have today (in varying degrees around the western world) is the best we can achieve. Perhaps not.  History will judge.

Equality - Page 1

Article by:
The Ignorant Intellectual

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