Equality notes

Equality revision notes 

Equality 

Ethics

Definitions:

Equality, equal, equally - signify a qualitative relationship. 

Equality (equal) signifies correspondence between a group of different objects, persons, processes, circumstances that have the same qualities in at least one respect. 

This means that by saying all men are equal we are not saying they’re all identical. 

Equality implies sameness. 

Equality debate - usually concerned with the good people are entitled to in society 

Eg: 

• Civil liberties - everyone should have the basic rights and duties (unless you are a criminal then the right of freedom is taken away)
• Opportunities for political participation - everyone should have an equal impute eg: be able to vote and social institutions should cater for the disadvantaged
• Social positions and opportunities - access to position should not be limited by economic or social class - everyone should have equal chance 
• Economic rewards:

These have the most justifications for unequal treatment such as:

1. Needing or differing natural disadvantages (disabilities)
2. Existing rights or claims (private property)
3. Differences in performance of special services (desert, sacrifices)
4. Efficiency 
5. Compensation for direct and indirect or structural discrimination. 

Problems with simple equality highlights equality in general:

1. Deciding on metrics for measuring equality is difficult. Eg if everyone had the same about of money, there would be differing levels of satisfaction. 
2. It is difficult to know over what time span people should be equal - should all 30 year olds have the same money as 10 year olds? Is that fair?
3. It is seemed unjust to reduce what some have for others to gain when they have less for example if someone had £200 but everyone else had £100 it would be unfair to take £100 away from that person with more to give it to others. 

Moral objections 

1. People have different desires - we cannot…