Equality is a contentious issue with many dimensions that cause disagreements over its definition and application. Some would agree with a hazy definition that claims, “All men are created equal,” while others claim the exact opposite; that men are obviously unequal in intelligence, physical strength, temperament or character. Equality between human beings is proposition that some have said is untrue or unworkable in any practical sense. Survival of the Fittest is justified, because somewhere along the way, we agreed that the rules of the game would reward the victor while the loser is swept aside. Cooperation is seen as inferior to (or not as exciting as) Competition – which produces heroes worthy of respect and losers to be forgotten. To cooperate or come into an agreement with another is sufficient to a point, but certainly not the level of everybody getting the same deal as everyone else.
The criticisms against economic inequality come in many forms. Those that carry the banner of enlightened self-interest make their arguments sound reasonable and respectful, but on the whole, they are the most ludicrous of statements.
Some of the weirdest ones claim that equality takes away freedom and liberty! One wonders how we have gotten to the point where freedom and equality are considered antagonizing forces. Others claim that the strong overpowering the weak is a justifiable fact of nature. Still others state that Equality is undesirable because it stymies the will of a being that wants to be or have “more” than another. Still others diminish the statement that “All Men Are Equal” as too insignificant to be a meaningful principle for Equality to stand. Yet the notion of some qualified notion of Equality has persisted as an idea for as long as there has been civilization. It was also been given lip – service to various streams of human interaction, namely philosophical, religious and political. We’ll come back to this later, but this conclusion is too convenient, even as a contrivance that wishes to be taken seriously on rational grounds. As such, it begs the question: seeing that all men and all women participate and share in the qualities, attributes and form of man and woman, how shall we treat ourselves? How shall we allow ourselves to be treated by others?
Equality is a concept that does not easily reduce to a simple, commonly – held definition. It seems the definition of equality slides into an infinite regress of further definitions, proposals, counter-proposals, ideals, reasons and justifications that isolates the subject within a zone of irrelevance that does not allow anything more than polite, philosophical, inconsequential chitchat.
Discussions of Equality are usually considered on philosophical, political or economical grounds. It is possible to take all three fields and merge them into one point when discussing their relationship within the principle of Equality. As long as we separate the social forces of money, politics and the philosophical framework that justifies the status quo of inequality, then the meaning of equality is vulnerable to an infinite regress of excuses that forces any discussion to the same point of insignificance. But can the singular approach of an Equal Money economic system deal with the myriad of problems and externalities that seem intractable under the current economic system? We believe that although the problems are vast, we can face them and transcend them through one common agreement: that Equality for all is the only answer that will save us.
By conducting a survey of historical social theories and their application, we intend to show that although there have been many attempts to bring about a more civilized and egalitarian society in different eras and places, there has seemingly been little interest in developing a philosophical framework for Equality as the Principle staring point of how we to live together. We will present the argument that no system that thwarts the expression or the validity of Equality will ever lead to a world where Justice, Peace, Dignity and Honor can stand. The foundation of our proposition is simple. An economy based on principles of respecting the life of a human being as being worthy of full expression, opportunity, education and having basic needs of survival fulfilled as an unalienable human privilege, and is the only model that succeeds in establishing itself as justified in being the most beneficial for everyone, by extending that privilege to everyone equally.
In doing so, there will emerge a new way of living, not one based on Buying the Right to Survive, but equating money with the value of Life of the Human Being, a miraculous creature existing to express, create and add to rich tapestry of Humanity. This won’t be possible to achieve until we dispense with the old ideas that only serve the privileged.
This monograph will treat the subject of Equality from various angles and present within its defense an explanation of how this singular application can bring peace, justice and liberty to the world while uplifting each one to the fullness of potential.
