The Politics of Equality

The most prevalent sentiment of the times is summed up in one word and that is ‘equality’.


At every level and on all fronts including political, social and economic, the egalitarian gospel has been asserted as the way the light the truth.


The rights of the child are considered equal to those of the parent, the pupil’s to that of the teacher, Jack is as good as his master, a professor of economics’ political assessment judgement is neither superior nor inferior to that of an illiterate road labourer, each being provided with identical voting power. The obvious difference of nation, race and sex are nothing more than historic hangovers.


It is instilled in us from childhood the great evil of inequality while paying no regard to individual differences. The thrust of broader educational guidance is towards a collective responsibility where children are not encouraged to excel so much as they are to fit in.


When differences prevail they are condemned, so the All Black scoring a spectacular try hangs his head as he returns to the halfway mark in a facade of modesty and repentance for his individual assertiveness.


    The egalitarian sentiment underlines the thrusts and trends of this centuries changes in human relationships. Witness the outrage from the professional do-gooder social worker set, on behalf of the ‘victim of society’s inequalities’ lout who knocks over an old lady and steals her purse. The old lady is dismissed as a symbol of society’s oppression whilst the thug, we are told, is uttering a cry for help.


The do-gooders offer a flood of words and sometimes convincing arguments but as William Blake said “He who would do good to another must do it in minute particulars. General good is the plea of the scoundrel, the hypocrite and the flatterer.”


The seed for equality was planted centuries ago but it was not until the middle of the 20th century that it...