Category: Principle Of Equality

Concepts such as equality before the law (legal equality), equality of opportunity, equality of results or outcomes, etc., are related to either liberal or welfare or social democratic perspectives. They suggest that equality can be or should be sought while private ownership of property remains intact. In fact, the very search for equality is based…

While laissez-faire, liberal-capitalist, negative liberal and libertarian perspectives reject any complementary relationship between liberty and equality, positive liberal, social-democratic and state welfare perspectives treat the two as compatible and complementary. The argument follows the following lines: Tawney in his book Equality maintains that equality is necessary to make liberty substantive. For him, liberty should imply not only civil…

The argument of incompatibility of liberty and equality is primarily based on the assumptions that search for social and economic equality is against individual liberty and economic freedom. This is because, they argue: Alex de Tocqueville in his Democracy in America treats development of democracy as a sign of ‘the formation of a “modern society” (by contrast…

Liberty as a principle in political theory has been closely identified with the liberal–capitalist tradition. It primarily stands for liberty of contract and private property and follows the policy of laissez faire. Equality in its legal and political form was demanded by the rising capitalist class to seek equality with aristocratic elements and the nobility. This was…

Liberty as a principle in political theory has been closely identified with the liberal–capitalist tradition. It primarily stands for liberty of contract and private property and follows the policy of laissez faire. Equality in its legal and political form was demanded by the rising capitalist class to seek equality with aristocratic elements and the nobility. This was…

We have noted that equality does not mean equal treatment to all. In fact, at times to fulfil the condition of equality, individuals are required to be treated unequally. This means, there is scope for reasonable and rational grounds for discrimination. Discrimination stands for ‘making an adverse distinction with regard to or distinguishing unfavourably from others.’54 Discrimination…

Economic equality may have different interpretations based on different perspectives. Primarily, economic equality is closely identified with socialist and Marxian thoughts. In the Marxian perspective, economic-based class inequality is the primary form of inequality that informs all other dimensions. Economic equality demands change in the basic structure of society as it seeks social ownership of…

One of the social inequalities is found in the form of gender-based inequalities. Initially, demand for gender equality was expressed for equal voting rights. Presently, opportunities in the field of education, employment, public offices, etc. and the economic process have led to a greater role of women in all aspects of society. It is argued…

As the term suggests, social equality signifies equal chance or opportunity to all for self-development as a human personality. It also envisages the absence of special privileges to anyone. Social equality means no one should be discriminated in the distribution of rights, privileges and opportunities based on birth, caste, religion, language, race, colour, gender or…

When Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg address on 19 November 1863 in the thick of the American civil war, he expressed his anguish and pain, apprehending whether the nation could endure such a long such a civil war. Optimistically, he ended his address saying a few words that have come to be closely identified…