Tocqueville and the Relevance of His Theories on Equality Today Alexis de Tocqueville believed that equality was inevitable and that society loves equality more than it does liberty. He stated that the “chief passion which stirs men at such times is the love of this equality,” referring to equality of conditions (Tocqueville, 504). According to him, democracy cannot exist without equality and equality further leads to individualism (Tocqueville, 506). This paper will discuss why Tocqueville’s analyses on equality are still relevant in today’s Western society by focusing on equality of conditions, democracy, and individualism. In Democracy in America (1840), Tocqueville stated that “every citizen must be put in possession of his rights, or rights must be granted to no one” (Tocqueville, Marxists Internet Archive).
James Davis ENC1102 Prof. Vega 24 April 2013 The World of Equality What would happen to the world if all men were equal in every aspect of their lives? In the story, “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., the world is finally living up to this aspect; of everyone being created equal. In this society, the gifted, strong, and beautiful are required to wear handicaps of earphones, heavy weights, and hideous masks, respectively. These constraints leave the world blind by one true ability. With the world constantly pushing for equality among people, Vonnegut reveals a world that society is diligently working toward.
Everyone would have the guaranteed rights of fundamental liberties. The difference principle gives unequal distributions as long as they benefit the worst off (Selections from John Rawls, A Theory of Justice, Reprinted in: Manuel Velasquez, Ethics: Theory and Practice (Englewood Cliffs, N. P.139). Rawls says that for the first principle, basic liberties are important because of moral powers. He says that people need a sense of reasonable justice that can amount to agreements and they need to be able to pursue what is good. He says that for the second principle, inequalities can be permitted if everyone is better off.
Vonnegut not only satirizes the mistaken of equality in the American culture but rather he may also be satirizing the misunderstanding of what leveling and equality could ultimately entail. More specifically, this text could be thought of as a parody to America’s Cold War misconception of not just communism but socialism as well. The story begins with this definition of the narrator’s twisted yet addled utopian view on equality. “The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal. They weren’t only equal before God and the law.
However, it is hard to distinguish as they are without a common heritage, ethnicity, or lineage. Therefore Americans should be precisely defined through their common characteristics. It is the characteristics that distinguish them from other people around the world by its equality, goals, and the pursuit of happiness. Americans are taught by the Declaration of Independence that “All men are created equal.” Since it has become a necessary part of Americans' belief, equality is always something that they strive to provide and maintain. That is, all races and genders share equal opportunities provided by the society.
1. Define what is meant by: (1.1.1) a. diversity Diversity basically means difference, difference in age, background, religion and the list goes on. It is important to create an atmosphere in which each diverse person feels equal in their surroundings b. equality Equality is everyone getting the same privileges and opportunities as everybody else no matter what shape, colour or beliefs c. inclusion No matter what even if it ay be a disability, gender or age a person is aloud equal access to a service no matter what d. discrimination Discrimination is generally treating someone as an outcast because they may be different in some way or another to everyone else 2. Describe how direct or indirect discrimination may occur in the work setting (1.1.2) When a person is not treated as equal as everyone else be it because of age, religion, gender, ethnicity, or sexuality. Example- you apply for a job as a shop assistant and your aged 50 but have all the necessary qualifications and plenty of experience.
Second: social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that they are both (a) reasonably expected to be to everyone’s advantage, and (b) attached to positions and offices open to all. Using Rawls theory of justice we find that in order for a society to be wholly just, all persons must not only have equal rights as all others, but that
It was reverend Martin Luther King and other great people like him in history, people with a desire for justice and equality, that eventually brought equality or at least reasonable equality in comparison to the inequalities that once existed in the United States of America. It is absolutely astounding that today the USA has a black president, this is a wonderful testament to those that sacrificed so much to see those of cultural and ethnic minority recognised as equal. It is not so much the battle for equality that is going to be examined in this essay however, a different view is going to be looked at, as every story has two sides it is important to look at the other side from time to time. This is not meant as from a point of pity, but more from a point of view that we can understand what happened and how it was allowed to develop into the complete degradation of a people based solely on their race and the exploitation of these people to the benefit of the few. In this essay we are going to summarise why the wealthy and powerful white Americans, those few that made so much from the oppression of the African Americans, required such in equality and why it was worth fighting for?
Who Decides What Is Equal Anyways? What would happen in a world where “full” equality was achieved? Would it be for worse or for better? In Kurt Vonnegut Jr.’s futuristic dystopia, “Harrison Bergeron,” a future society has finally achieved what it has been asking for all along, equality amongst all. They achieve this equality by using handicaps to set everyone to the same level of abilities, such as beauty, strength, and special abilities.
He cites the existence of unjust laws and declares that we as citizens should not be obligated to follow them. The basis for this argument is that the government is run by a majority with the most power, not the most valid perspective. This is the reason why Thoreau advises citizens to follow what they believe to be right and not embrace what the government says. Thoreau states that is not a man’s duty to pledge to eradicate all wrongs from his country but that it is one’s duty to “wash his hands” of it and to not support the wrong in anyway (page 183 para13). He continues to tell a story of how he used this method to protest the Mexican American War which was being waged at the time the essay was written.