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Equality
‘Liberty and equality are related to each other.’ Examine with two different views.
The two different views are examined below:
(i)Liberty and equality are opposed to each other : There is a view point that both liberty and equality are opposed to each other and they cannot go side-by-side. The main advocates of this view point are De Tocqueviflle and Lord Acton. According to Lord Acton, “The passion for equality has made vain the hope for liberty.” Equality curtails individual liberty. If everybody is considered equal in the eyes of law and equality is established in economic sphere than liberty will be curtailed. Nobody will have the liberty to earn money according to his own sweet will. If equality is established then the intelligent and hard working people will not be able to develop their personality to the full. People are of the opinion that nature has not created all the people equal. So liberty and equality cannot go side-by-side.
(ii) Liberty and equality are related to each other : In the modern age, most of the thinkers do not accept the view point that liberty and equality are closely related to each other. It is said that liberty in the absence of equality is meaningless. Prof. Laski, Prof. Towny Pollard and Maclver are the thinkers who support this view point. In fact, the liberty does not mean the same work and equal wages for all the people.
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A government report on farmers’ problems says that small and marginal farmers cannot get good prices from the market. It recommends that the government should intervene to ensure a better price but only for small and marginal farmers. Is this recommendation consistent with the principle of equality?
Match the following concepts with appropriate instances:
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(a). Affirmative action (b). Equality of opportunity (c). Equal Rights |
(i) Every adult citizen has a right to vote. (ii) Banks offer higher rate of interest to senior citizens. (iii) Every child should get free education. |
Which of the following violate the principles of equality? And why?
(a) Every child in class will read the text of the play by turn.
(b) The government of Canada encouraged white Europeans to migrate to Canada from the end of the Second world War till 1960.
(c) There is a separate railway reservation counter for the senior citizens.
(d) Access to some forest areas is reserved for certain tribal communities.Here are some arguments in favour of the right to vote for women. Which of these are consistent with the idea of equality? Give reasons.
(a) Women are our mothers. We shall not disrespect our mothers by denying them the right to vote.
(b) Decisions of the government affect women as well as men, therefore, they also should have a say in choosing the rulers.
(c) Not granting women the right to vote will cause disharmony in the family.
(d) Women constitute half of humanity. You cannot subjugate them for long by denying them the right to voteSome people argue that inequality is natural while others maintain that it is equality which is natural and the inequalities which we notice around us are created by society. Which view do you support? Give reasons.
There is a view that absolute economic equality is neither possible nor desirable. It is argued that the most a society can do is to try and reduce the gaps between the richest and the poorest members of the society. Do you agree?
Define equality as powerful moral ideal.
Define the concept of equality as a political ideal.
Describe the notion held by man in India against the equality of women.
Describe the attitude of colonial masters about the Black people.
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