by Marty Adkns

Created on: December 23, 2008

The notion of equality is at the core of western understanding of liberal democracy. The understanding of what this equality means is critical.

The US Declaration of Independence states that all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights. The key this section is that all men are created equal in regard to three particular endowments. These are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

In saying that they are born equal in regard to these areas implies that at birth all people are entitled without regard to government intervention in any form to those things. They are inherent in what it means to be human. This is the birthright of all people. This document not only describes that as an inherent birthright for Americans but for all people.

The most casual observer will note that this equality cannot be said to be true in all things. Some are born with more talent in certain areas than others. Some are smarter than others. Some people are born in situations that will be difficult to overcome. In those areas however, all are equally entitled. This concept grants people equality of opportunity. Each may succeed or fail according to their talents and abilities. This concept does not apply to equality of result.

The current version of equality seems to imply equality of result. The apparent desire is that everyone is entitled to some specified standard of success. It is often seen as unfair that one may have more than another. This is not violative of those individual rights. If equality of result were possible it would require that something be taken from one individual to provide for another. This is violative of the liberty of the first individual.

Farther, it is important to recognize that these rights are the rights of individuals. They are not the rights of groups. A group does not have rights. Individual members of groups do. Those rights include the choice of whether or not to be a member of that group. The rights enshrined in that document belong to each rather than all.

Governments exist to guarantee those rights to each individual. That is and ought to be the only legitimate purpose of government. Liberty require that each be permitted to do as they choose provided it does not harm others and is subject to the rule of law. There is no requirement that government provide that each person succeed to a particular standard. To attempt to produce such an equality is beyond the legitimate functions of government.

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