Re-examining The Doctrine of Equality

March 3, 2010.

Re-examining the Doctrine of Equality.
By T.S.Khanna

Scientific and physical knowledge of our planet and the Universe is definite knowledge. All else, that surpasses such knowledge, is dogmatic (dictatorial, not subject to examination) knowledge expressed by theological philosophy of religious leaders. At times, political leaders have also invoked the authority of God or Creator to sell certain improvable but opportune concepts that defy human logic and observations.

On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence captured the zeitgeist of the time and its impact is still alive. The doctrine of equality is rooted in a few words of the Declaration: “….that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, ….”.

The original intent of the Declaration was to provide equal opportunity for all, free of prejudice or oppression. The doctrine of equality, however, stretched the intent and laid everyone on Procrustean bed, regardless of one’s intelligence, education, interests, or maturity. It is showing significant negative effects on democratic systems:

1. “One man, one vote,” a corollary of the doctrine of equality, neutralizes the effectiveness of the society’s intelligentsia on the political system. The number of ignorant voters is always far greater than those who understand the government structure, its operations, political issues and their resolution. Many nescient voters do not have the ability or the interest to identify their own good. Special interest groups often manipulate them by social engineering. Imagine Aristotle’s vote being offset by an ignorant voter with equal voting right. “One man, one vote,” does not permit the best candidates to get elected, it drives good people away from political participation.
2. The doctrine of equality has its unintended effect; with the feeling of equality, some people sense injustice seeing some others wealthier than themselves. Those in higher income groups sense injustice in being equated with the lower income group. They resent their earnings transferred through taxation and entitlement programs to those who resent the very people whose earnings are transferred to them. In all socio-economic groups, a sense of injustice is triggered by this doctrine.
3. A society is best served by a political system supportive of its social values. Most societies are hierarchical with well defined deference structure as a source of status gradation, social integration, and stability. In the absence of a deference structure, money and popularity assume greater role as sources of status. Monetary symbols status keeps people in a constant overdrive to associate with the wealthier and dissociate with the less wealthy. Status through popularity involves older people to pretend younger and avow the popular youth culture-----the lowest common multiple (LCM) of diverse cultures. This culture continues to degenerate as more status seekers support it.
4. The doctrine of equality pits women against men and children against parents without redefining the traditional roles based on obligations, not on equality. This also obstructs the process of transferring of good classic values of human culture from parents to children.
5. The doctrine of equality also implies equalization of wealth. The psychology of equality among the lower socio-economic groups, with larger number of voters, has a sure force to push democracy to socialism, with minimal wealth producing incentives.

In light of the above-mentioned observations, I recommend that in all democratic systems:
1. The doctrine of equality may be replaced by the originally intended doctrine of equality of opportunity;
2. To make voter better judges of the competing political candidates and issues, necessary requisites may be imposed for voters’ eligibility, under equality of opportunity; and,
3. The practice of equal voting right for all citizens may be replaced by differential voting credits for voters, in accordance with their contribution to the society, under equality of opportunity.