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?
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.
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?
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.
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. |
(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.
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.(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.
Some 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.
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.
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