Political Theory Chapter 3 Equality

The mentioned recommendation is consistent with the principle of equality. In a liberal democratic country, in a welfare state and in a socialist society the interest of the small and marginal farmers should be protected by the government so, that they could lead reasonably just social lives and should get some economic assistance from government.

This act of goverment bridges the economic equality, which also give the oppurtunity to the farmers entails the prevalent oppurtunity.

(a) Affirmative action- (ii) Banks offer higher rate of interest to senior citizens.

(b) Equality of opportunity- (iii) Every child should get free education.

(c) Equal Right- (i) Every adult citizen has a right to vote.

(a) This does not violate the principles of equality.

Because every child is asked to do the same activity in the class, without any discrimination.

(b) This statement violates the principle of equality.

Because the policy of the Canadian Government is based on colour discrimination.

(c) It is not violating the principle of equaltiy. 
This is very much mentioned in the constitution of India, the affirmative action.

(d)This statement is violating the principle of equality.

All tribal communities sustain their live through forest, so some communities should not survive at the cost of other.

The statement (a) and (d) are consistent with the idea of equality.

In a democracy every decisions of the government affect women as well as men. There should be no discrimination on the basis of gender. They are part and parcel of the society. They constitute half of humanity. No society or state should ignore them. Equality and freedom are two most vital principles of democracy. They should not be subjugate in democratic society. Moreover it is not possible to deny them the right to vote.

A distinction has sometimes been made in political theory between natural inequalities and socially produced inequalities.

(i)Natural inequalities are those that emerge between people as a result of their different capabilities such as physical, mental and emotional. These types of inequalities are different from socially–produced inequalities which emerge as a consequence of inequalities of opportunity (educational, family– environment etc.) or the exploitation (social, economic cultural, political, emotional etc.) of some groups (people of low castes, backward group, weaker sex or common sex, in a society by others.

(ii)Natural inequalities are considered be the result of the different characteristics and abilities with which people are born. It is generally considered that natural differences cannot be changed.

Social inequalities on the other hand are those created by society.

(i)Certain societies may, for instance, value those who perform intellectual work over those who do manual work and reward them differently. They may treat differently people of different race, or colour, or gender, or caste,

(ii) Certain inequalities in the treatment of people have existed over a long period of time they may appear to us as justifiable because they are based on natural inequalities. For example there are certain characteristics with the people are born with and cannot easily change. For instance, women were for long described as the weaker sex, considered coward and of lesser intelligence than men, needing special protection. Therefore, it was felt that deny women equal rights could be justified.

(iii) However, old conceptions of discriminations such as based on gender and colour or race are now questioned. They are now seen as distinctions made by society or state as a result of the differences of power between people and nations rather than based on their in born characteristics.

Economic inequalities is the indicator of opposite situations of economic equality.

(i)In other way, we could say that economic inequality prevails in a society if there are vital differences in wealth, property or income between individuals of different classes, prevailing in the society (Highest, lower–highest, upper–middle, lower middle, upper lower and the lowest or the people living below the poverty line).

(ii)According to economists one of the measuring the degree of economic inequality in a society would be to measure the relative difference between the richest and poorest groups. Another method or way could to estimate the member of people who live below the poverty live.

(iii)With equal opportunities inequalities may continue to exist between individuals but there is the opportunities inequalities may continue to exist between individuals but there is the possibility of improving one’s position in the society with sufficient effort.

(iv)Most democracies today make efforts to provide equal opportunities to their people in the belief that this would at least give those who have talent and determination the chance to improve their conditions.

(v)Every progressive and justice loving society desire economic equality in its zone because inequalities, which remain relatively untouched over generations are more dangerous for a society. If in a society certain classes of people have enjoyed considerable wealths, and the power which goes with it, over generations, the society would become divided between those classes and others who have remained poor over generations.

(vi)As more and more time passes economic disparities or inequalities can give rise to powerful resentment and violence at a very large scale. Because of the power the wealthy classes it might prove difficult to reform such a society to make it more open and egalitarian.

Equality is regarded as powerful moral ideal. It has inspired and guided all human society for many centuries. It is implicit in all faiths and religions which proclaim all human beings to be the creation of almighty.

The political ideal concept of equality invokes the idea that all human beings are equal regardless of their colour, gender, race, or nationality. In democratic societies political equality normally includes granting equal citizenship to all the members of the state.

Women in India for long were considered as the weaker sex. Considered timid and of lesser intelligence than men, needing special protection. Man were very much against the equality of the women. 

Black people in Africa were considered by their colonial masters to be of lesser intelligence who were better at manual work. They justified the institutions of slavery where slave were traded like any other commodity.

Feminism is a political doctrine of equal rights for women and men.

The term ‘equality’ imples that all men are equal and are entitled to equal opportunities and treatment. In simpler terms it means levelling process in which chances are given to all for development of their potential. It also means that special preference of all kinds are abolished and no discrimination are made on grounds of birth, wealth, sex, caste, creed or colour.

The four kinds of equality are mentioned below:

(i)Natural Equality 

(ii)Social Equality 

(iii)Political Equality 

(iv)Economic Equality 

Political equality means that all the citizens of a country should have same political rights without any discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, colour, sex or religion. It entails universal adult franchise and right to contest elections. Everyone should have equal access to all the goverment establishment of the state. It also implies the rights to form political parties and associations. These rights are vital part of a democratic society.

Slave Trade: Slave trade had started  in the 15th Century, when the Africans of Coastal regions were enslaved by individual traders, sailors and pirates and transported to work in American plantations of tobacco, sugar, rice, cotton and coffee. By the 16th Century, regular slave trading companies were formed, supported by the governments of their countries. Slaves were bought and sold, and were treated inhumanly. They lived in pathetic conditions resulting in large scale deaths.

According to Lord Bryce economic equality is, “the attempt to expunge all differences in wealth, allotting to every man and woman equal share in worldy good.” It means that wealth should be enjoyed equally by all. It also implies abolition of poverty. If primary needs of an individual are not fulfilled there cannot be real democracy. Political equality is said to be meaningless unless it is accompanied by economic equality. In the communist countries emphasis has been given on economic equality. 

Natural equality implies that all men are born free and equal and are endowed with equal gifts and talents. It also urges the state to reduce inequality rather than perpetuating it. The state should promote those social and economic opportunities that offer equal scope. Natural equality is rather an ideal and not immediate reality. This ideal should be attained in a society as far as possible.

Eequal opportunities tor all implies that every human being should get the opportunity to progress without any discrimination. The citizens of India have been granted six Fundamental Rights one of them is ,“The Right to Equality.” This right has five parts, the third part of this right deals with equality of opportunity.

According to this right, every individual gets the equal opportunity to hold the public office or to get the government service. Accordingly the state treats every one equally without any distinction based on religion, caste, sex or language.

Uniformity does not symbolize equality. Some religious reformers and utilitarians believed in the principle of absolute and unconditional equality which signify uniformity.

But this uniformity is against the law of nature as men are by nature unequal, e.g. a mathematician cannot be placed on the same footing as a mason. This uniformity is not possible to achieve because men are found in different social settings, and have different virtues, needs and functional capacities.

Equality before law : Article 14 of the Constitution of India guarantees all persons equality before the law and equal protection of law within the territory of India. 
It means there can be no discrimination between one citizen and another on the basis of caste, class, creed, sex or any of them. 

Marx was an important nineteenth century thinker who argued that the root cause of entrenched inequality was private ownership of important economic resources such as oil, or land, or forests, as well as other forms of property.

He pointed out that such private ownership did not only make the class of owners wealthy, it also gave them political power. Such power enables them to influence state policies and laws and this could prove a threat to democratic government. Marxists and socialists feel that economic inequality provides support to other forms of social inequality such as differences of rank or privilege. 

Two features of equality are explained below:

(ii)Provision for adequate opportunities: Equality means that every man in the state should get adequate opportunities for realizing his best self. Nature has not made all men equal. But it is not proper for the state to follow the law of nature. On the other hand, the state thought its laws should not increase this natural inequality. Rather it should pass such laws that no one in the state should be denied the opportunities to develop his own genius.

(ii)Absence of special privileges : An important feature of equality is that no individual or section of people is given special privileges in society. Nobody should be given special privileges on the basis of caste, colour, creed, religion and blood.

The dimensions are discussed below:

(i)Right to vote : It is vital for the establishment of democracy that all the citizens should have equal rights in the election of government.

(ii)Right to be elected : The organisation of democracy is not possible only by the right to franchise. The right of being elected also is as important as the right of voting. Every one has equal right to contest election.

(iii)Right to hold public office : Under political equality, the citizens have the right to get government offices without any discrimination. The qualifications fixed for any office are equal for all.

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.