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Egalitarianism
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Egalitarianism (derived from the French word égal, meaning equal) or Equalism is a political doctrine that holds that all people should be treated as equals and have the same political, economic, social, and civil rights. Generally it applies to being held equal under the law and society at large. In actual practice, one may be considered an egalitarian in most areas listed below, even if not subscribing to equality in every possible area of individual difference.
galitarianism is considered by some a protean doctrine; as a social philosophy it has been applied to society in a wide variety of different ways.
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Encyclopedia
Egalitarianism (derived from the French word égal, meaning equal) or Equalism is a political doctrine that holds that all people should be treated as equals and have the same political, economic, social, and civil rights. Generally it applies to being held equal under the law and society at large. In actual practice, one may be considered an egalitarian in most areas listed below, even if not subscribing to equality in every possible area of individual difference.
Applications of egalitarianism
Egalitarianism is considered by some a protean doctrine; as a social philosophy it has been applied to society in a wide variety of different ways. Common forms of egalitarianism include economic egalitarianism, legal egalitarianism, luck egalitarianism, political egalitarianism, gender egalitarianism, racial equality, asset-based egalitarianism, and Christian egalitarianism.
Christian Egalitarianism
Egalitarianism with regard to the doctrine of grace is taught throughout the Bible, penned as early as 1,447 B.C.. In both the Old and New Testaments, repeated reference is made to the doctrine that "God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34). Ancient Israel was given a system of laws which outlined a basis for human rights that was egalitarian at its core: "Ye shall not respect persons in judgment...." (Deuteronomy 1:17), probably intended as a type of the economy of grace by which God deals with His subjects.
Political Egalitarianism
The framers of various modern governments (some of whom followed Christianity), made references to the Bible doctrine of egalitarianism in the moral principles by which they lived, and which formed the basis for their legacy. The Constitution Of The United States Of America, with its accompanying Bill Of Rights, is a prime example of a piece of legislation with an egalitarian perspective.
Broadly egalitarian philosophies
At a cultural level, egalitarian theories have developed in sophistication and acceptance during the past two hundred years. Among the notable broadly egalitarian philosophies are Socialism, Communism, Anarchism, Left-Libertarianism, Progressivism, and Human Rights, which promote economic, political, and legal egalitarianism, respectively. Several egalitarian ideas enjoy wide support among intellectuals and in the general populations of many countries. Whether any of these ideas have been significantly implemented in practice, however, remains a controversial question. For instance, some argue that modern representative democracy is a realization of political egalitarianism, while others believe that, in reality, most political power still resides in the hands of a ruling class, rather than in the hands of the people.
Communism, Marxism
Different kinds of egalitarianism can sometimes conflict, while in other situations they may be indispensable to each other. For instance, communism is a materialistically egalitarian doctrine, according to which everyone is supposed to enjoy equality with regard to material prosperity. However, because material inequality has always existed to some extent in domestic and international economy, communists argue that something must be done to remove it. Since those who enjoy the greatest material wealth are not likely to wish to part with it, some form of coercive mechanism is often used. Coercion necessitating a coercive force, the framers of such a government then interpose themselves as the arbiter of such force.
Egalitarianism in adults and children
A study of American college students published in Nature showed that people are willing to pay to reduce inequality. When subjects were placed into groups and given random amounts of income, they spent their own money to reduce the incomes of the highest earners and increase the incomes of the lowest earners.
In a follow-up study, Swiss children showed a significant increase in sharing between the ages of 3 and 8. It has not been determined whether the results of either of these experiments are due to an innate instinct, or exposure to and adoption of the customs of other people.
Criticism
A society that meets the meritocratic goal of equal opportunity might still be a harsh environment for those who lack the physical or mental capabilities to compete. It has been argued that policies that go beyond the meritocratic ideals are ineffective.
Various other anti-egalitarian views have been brought forward, among others in the discussion on the distribution of income. To the contrary, John Rawls has argued that the welfare of a society depends on the welfare of the worst-off individual because society is better off if one improves the welfare of others.
Moreover, research shows that lower inequality (i.e. high egalitarianism) is correlated with better environmental maintenance and a higher quality of life . Minnesota, the most egalitarian state, ranked seventh in the country in the strength of its environmental policies, eleventh in environmental quality, and had the fourth lowest premature death rate. By contrast, Mississippi, the most inegalitarian state, ranked 46th in environmental policy, 42nd in environmental quality, and 49th in its premature death rate.
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