Egalitarianism believes in equal rights and opportunities for all people, regardless of race, gender, or other identity categories. While this ideal may sound admirable on paper, the reality is that it can have many unintended consequences. Specifically, egalitarians create the most dangerous inequality of all — inequality of power. Let’s explore why this is such a problem and what we can do about it.
How Egalitarianism Creates Inequality of Power The root of the problem with egalitarianism lies in its focus on equality rather than equity. Equality assumes that everyone should have the same resources regardless of their circumstances or needs. On the other hand, equity seeks to provide people with resources based on their individual situations and needs. This difference makes a huge difference when it comes to issues like taxation.
For example, allowing politicians to determine what all other human beings will be allowed to earn is one of the most reckless gambles imaginable. It’s easy to understand why some might think this makes sense; if those at the top are making more money than those below them, why not tax them? The danger lies in how quickly this kind of policy can spiral out of control — like the income tax, which started off being applied only to the rich but eventually reached us all. When politicians have too much power over our incomes and assets, they create an even more significant gap between themselves and everyone else as they use that power for their benefit rather than the public good.
What We Can Do About It So what can be done about this inequality? To start with, we need to take a hard look at our existing policies and ask ourselves if they are genuinely equitable or just a way for politicians to maintain their influence over us. We also need to be more deliberate in reducing inequality — by investing in education and job training programs for disadvantaged groups; strengthening anti-discrimination laws; and increasing access to healthcare services for underserved communities so that everyone has an equal chance at success regardless of background or circumstance. Finally, we must also hold our elected officials accountable when they fail to act fairly and equitably — because if we don’t take action now, then this dangerous inequality will only continue to worsen with time.
Egalitarianism has been touted as an ideal way forward for many years now. Still, it often creates more problems than solutions — particularly when it comes to inequality of power between politicians and ordinary citizens. Suppose we want to ensure everyone has an equal chance at success regardless of background or circumstance. In that case, we must work together now to break down systemic inequalities through policy change, investment in public services for disadvantaged groups, and holding our elected officials accountable when they fail us all. Only then will true equality become possible — both within our society and between our leaders and ourselves!
Share this post
The Dangers of Egalitarianism
Share this post
Egalitarianism believes in equal rights and opportunities for all people, regardless of race, gender, or other identity categories. While this ideal may sound admirable on paper, the reality is that it can have many unintended consequences. Specifically, egalitarians create the most dangerous inequality of all — inequality of power. Let’s explore why this is such a problem and what we can do about it.
How Egalitarianism Creates Inequality of Power
The root of the problem with egalitarianism lies in its focus on equality rather than equity. Equality assumes that everyone should have the same resources regardless of their circumstances or needs. On the other hand, equity seeks to provide people with resources based on their individual situations and needs. This difference makes a huge difference when it comes to issues like taxation.
For example, allowing politicians to determine what all other human beings will be allowed to earn is one of the most reckless gambles imaginable. It’s easy to understand why some might think this makes sense; if those at the top are making more money than those below them, why not tax them? The danger lies in how quickly this kind of policy can spiral out of control — like the income tax, which started off being applied only to the rich but eventually reached us all. When politicians have too much power over our incomes and assets, they create an even more significant gap between themselves and everyone else as they use that power for their benefit rather than the public good.
What We Can Do About It
So what can be done about this inequality? To start with, we need to take a hard look at our existing policies and ask ourselves if they are genuinely equitable or just a way for politicians to maintain their influence over us. We also need to be more deliberate in reducing inequality — by investing in education and job training programs for disadvantaged groups; strengthening anti-discrimination laws; and increasing access to healthcare services for underserved communities so that everyone has an equal chance at success regardless of background or circumstance. Finally, we must also hold our elected officials accountable when they fail to act fairly and equitably — because if we don’t take action now, then this dangerous inequality will only continue to worsen with time.
Egalitarianism has been touted as an ideal way forward for many years now. Still, it often creates more problems than solutions — particularly when it comes to inequality of power between politicians and ordinary citizens. Suppose we want to ensure everyone has an equal chance at success regardless of background or circumstance. In that case, we must work together now to break down systemic inequalities through policy change, investment in public services for disadvantaged groups, and holding our elected officials accountable when they fail us all. Only then will true equality become possible — both within our society and between our leaders and ourselves!