Chapter – 3

Equality

In this post we have given the detailed notes of Class 11 Political Science Book 1 Chapter 3 (Equality) in English. These notes are useful for the students who are going to appear in Class 11 board exams.

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Chapter 3: Equality

Why Does Equality Matter?

• Equality is a powerful moral and political ideal that has inspired and guided human society for many centuries.  
• All faiths and religions imply equality by considering all human beings to be the creation of God.  
• As a political ideal, equality means that all human beings have equal worth regardless of their differences.  
• The notion of a shared humanity lies behind the concepts of universal human rights or ‘crimes against humanity’.  
• In the modern period, the concept of equality has been used in the struggles against states and social institutions that promote inequality.  
• The demand for equality was also raised during anti-colonial liberation struggles in Asia and Africa.  
• Today, equality is a widely accepted ideal, but inequality is still visible around us.  

What is Equality?

• Treating people with equal respect does not always mean treating them in an identical way.  
• Society requires a division of work and functions, and people often enjoy different status and rewards on account of it.  
• The question is which distinctions and differences are acceptable and which are not.  
• The commitment to the ideal of equality does not imply the elimination of all forms of differences.  
• It suggests that the treatment we receive and the opportunities we enjoy must not be pre-determined by birth or social circumstance.  
• Equality of Opportunities implies that all people are entitled to the same rights and opportunities to develop their skills and talents, and to pursue their goals and ambitions.  
• Natural inequalities are those that emerge between people as a result of their different capabilities and talents.  
• Social inequalities are those created by society.  

Three Dimensions of Equality

• Political Equality:

  • Equal citizenship.  
  • The right to vote.  
  • Freedom of expression, movement and association, and freedom of belief.  

• Social Equality:

  • Equality of opportunities.  
  • Minimizing the effects of social and economic inequalities.  
  • Guaranteeing certain minimum conditions of life to all members of society, such as adequate health care, the opportunity for good education, adequate nourishment, and a minimum wage.  

• Economic Equality:

  • Significant differences in wealth, property, or income between individuals or classes.  
  • Absolute equality of wealth or income has probably never existed in a society.  
  • Most democracies today try to make equal opportunities available to people in the belief that this would at least give those who have talent and determination the chance to improve their condition.  

How Can We Promote Equality?

• Establishing Formal Equality:

  • Ending the formal system of inequality and privileges.  
  • Social, economic, and political inequalities all over the world have been protected by customs and legal systems that prohibited some sections of society from enjoying certain kinds of opportunities and rewards.  
  • Equality requires that the government and the law of the land should stop protecting these systems of inequality.  

• Equality Through Differential Treatment:

  • Sometimes it is necessary to treat people differently in order to ensure that they can enjoy equal rights.  
  • Certain differences between people may have to be taken into account for this purpose.  
  • For instance, disabled people may justifiably demand special ramps in public spaces so that they get an equal chance to enter public buildings.  

• Affirmative Action:

  • Affirmative action is based on the idea that it is not sufficient to establish formal equality by law.  
  • When we wish to eliminate inequalities that are deeply rooted, it is necessary to take some more positive measures to minimize and eliminate entrenched forms of social inequalities.  
  • Most policies of affirmative action are thus designed to correct the cumulative effect of past inequalities.  
  • Affirmative action can take many forms, from preferential spending on facilities for disadvantaged communities, such as scholarships and hostels, to special consideration for admissions to educational institutions and jobs.  
  • Critics of positive discrimination, particularly policies of reservations, argue that treating people differently cannot lead to greater equality.  

Feminism

• Feminism is a political doctrine of equal rights for women and men.  
• Feminists believe that many of the inequalities we see in society between men and women are neither natural nor necessary and can be altered so that both women and men can lead free and equal lives.  
• Patriarchy is a social, economic, and cultural system that values men more than women and gives men power over women.  
• Feminists question this way of thinking by making a distinction between “sex” and “gender.”  
• They show us that much of the inequality between men and women is produced by society and not by nature.  

Marxism and Socialism

• Marx argued that the root cause of entrenched inequality was private ownership of important economic resources.  
• He pointed out that such private ownership not only made the class of owners wealthy but also gave them political power.  
• Marxists and socialists feel that economic inequality provides support to other forms of social inequality.  
• They believe that to tackle inequality in society, we need to go beyond providing equal opportunities and try and ensure public control over essential resources and forms of property.  

Liberalism

• Liberals uphold the principle of competition as the most efficient and fair way of distributing resources and rewards in society.  
• They believe that as long as competition is open and free, inequalities are unlikely to become entrenched, and people will get due reward for their talents and efforts.  

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