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Egalitarianism
Shundarius Davis
Govt 329: American Exceptionalism
Professor Ronald Rodgers
December 12, 2022
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Egalitarianism
The idea that all people should be regarded as equals because they were all created equal
is central to egalitarianism. The effects it has on people's financial situations and legal standings
can be evaluated (Roemer & Trannoy, 2015). To elaborate, egalitarianism is a school of thought
that falls within the umbrella of political philosophy. Egalitarianism is a philosophical viewpoint
that fights for and defends the equal rights of all individuals regardless of their gender, color,
religion, socioeconomic position, or political convictions. Egalitarianism is also known as the
egalitarian view. (Temkin, 2003)
Some evidence suggests that egalitarianism, an ideology that seeks to cut economic
inequality and promote fair wealth distribution, influenced the development of some
contemporary economic and political structures. One who promotes egalitarian ideals, such as
ensuring women have the same rights as men in the workplace or allowing illegal immigrants the
same protections as citizens, is known as an egalitarian. (Egalitarianism Definition, n.d.)
Pursuing egalitarianism is a normative ideal, and competent people should work effectively and
support redistributive policies to make that happen. This must be done without insisting that
everyone look out for number one. (Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2022)
Egalitarianism looks to cut economic inequality and promotes more fair distribution of
wealth. Another concern of egalitarianism is ensuring that all individuals are treated similarly by
the legal system. (Kenton, 2020) If you adhere to the egalitarian philosophy, you think all people
should be afforded equal opportunity and equal treatment (Arneson, 2013). Equality for all about
social, political, and economic standing is one of the core tenets of egalitarianism, bringing us to
our third point. (Scheffler, 2003).
Egalitarianism and how it defined American Culture
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Because of its significance, equality was one of the four characteristics I considered
highlighting while making my decision. First, we must solid understand what equality is and how
it relates to society. In a society that adheres to egalitarianism, there is no distinction between
individuals based on gender, race, religion, or age. (Scheffler, 2017) In a society that adheres to
egalitarianism, there is no distinction between individuals about their chances to succeed and
grow economically. Some ancient civilizations had more fair economies, governance, and legal
systems than others. To begin, the egalitarian anthropologist intends to investigate the various
perspectives held by Christians on gender equality about religiousness (Wisley, 2015). This
perspective on anthropology agrees with the premise that God created human beings to treat
them equally, but that humanity has messed up this ideal (Wisley, 2015).
Conservatives value order. Conservatives have an aristocratic perspective, claim
opponents, and are "un-American" for opposing equality. People must choose between
aristocratic class awareness and human equality. Class awareness drives this illusory choice
between aristocracy and egalitarianism. (Chopp, 2022) In the U.S., aristocratic beliefs about
class distinctions never caught hold. Later, Marxist ideas about "means of production" muddle
matters. Recent ideological trends and practices undermine American culture and ordered liberty.
American equality and social orders coexist. It promotes a self-reliance ethic that values honest
effort and the obligation of the rich to share their good fortune with the less fortunate,
encouraging a life of mutual respect and public service. (Chopp, 2022) The result is a practical
solution to everyday difficulties, not an idealized vision.
Moral performance decides social standing. Alexis de Tocqueville's judgments on
American society are criticized nowadays. (Chopp, 2022) Tocqueville's thoughts on American,
British, and French social regimes are still valid. People in France expect the government to
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manage emergencies, he said. Britain's leaders were aristocrats or remarkable men. Local
organizations solved national issues. Most Americans put themselves first in life management.
Tocqueville's statement may have been true until recently, if only as a generalization of society's
standards. (Chopp, 2022) Europeans and Latin Americans are astonished that Americans prefer
to do their work. Variable reactions. Fewer wealthy immigrants from other countries are happy to
own single-family homes and support them. Work ethics reflect culture and personality.
Europeans take a month off and say Americans work too much.
Americans shrug because they have lost their ideals. First-person perspective is rare
currently. Max Weber misunderstood the Protestant emphasis on God and community duty.
(Habisch, n.d.) A moral person, in this view, works hard and praises God for opportunities and
benefits. The American frontier is also essential. (Chopp, 2022) Due to the necessity to provide,
people appreciate hard, unglamorous work. Left-wing aristocrats aim to exploit foreign labor in
their houses and companies during a time of welfare dependency and social dislocation when the
wealthy have abandoned prominent street mansions for gated communities. Today, America's
egalitarianism is easy to miss. This philosophy endures. It is disregarded because it is not in
policy or politics. American equality comes from free, enterprising people who value freedom
and work. (Chopp, 2022)
The central tenet of egalitarianism in the Christian tradition
While there is consensus on the concept of gender equality, there is "significant
disagreement in tying this equality to women's existing subservient position in history under
patriarchy," according to a second point. According to study by Arneson (2013), there is "much
debate in relating this equity to women's historically subordinate position under patriarchy."
Those who adhere to the egalitarian worldview should be treated equally regardless of gender,
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color, or religion. The idea that everyone is created equal and owns the same intrinsic value and
moral standing is fundamental to the Christian egalitarian philosophy (Wisley, 2015). This school
of thought derives a considerable amount of its motivation from the Christian doctrine that
people were created in the image and likeness of God. (Habisch, n.d.)
Egalitarianism is a social movement within Christianity based on the theological idea that
all individuals are created in God's image and that there should be no restrictions on the roles
men and women can play at home, in the church, and in wider society. (Wisley, 2015) The Bible
advocates for this kind of equality; hence the term "biblical equality" is used to describe it
sometimes. For egalitarians, the teachings and example of Jesus Christ prove that women and
men of all races and ethnicities, socioeconomic backgrounds, and ages are created equal.
(Wisley, 2015) It differs from secular political, economic, and social egalitarianism and must be
distinguished from it. In recent decades, evangelicals have formed a significant divide over the
biblical teachings on the moral responsibilities of men and women. (Wisley, 2015)
In one view, Complementarianism, Christians believe that while men and women are
equal in every way that matters, God designed them to play complementary roles in society and
the church. Next, Murray briefly highlights the industry's characteristics and describes how it
replicates society. Murray contends that these characteristics have assisted the United States in
achieving its objectives and establishing an environment for peace and prosperity in which its
citizens currently take pleasure (Murray, 2013a). On the other hand, these attributes are
becoming less common, particularly in the new lower class (thus the divide).
Egalitarianism Values in Capitalism
However, given that we are discussing Values and Capitalism, it's necessary to consider
whether sloth or carelessness led to this fall. This is because Values and Capitalism have played a
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prominent role (Murray, 2013b). One of the characteristics that define Americans the most is
their propensity for putting in long hours at the workplace (or was at the time of the founding).
According to Murray, industry quality distinguishes one individual from another (Murray,
2013a). It is essential to make a first evaluation of the general mentality. Finally, there is
community life; thanks to nostalgia, community life in the United States appears superior to what
it was.
Significant income gaps between people and their neighbors are expected in a market
economy. In a market economy, people's earnings and incomes vary depending on their starting
point, skills, connections, and good fortune. However, in democracies, labor unions and political
parties have historically worked to reduce market-driven inequalities. Both unions and political
parties can help level the playing field in terms of pay by enacting policies that redistribute
wealth from high- to low-income households through tax and transfer programs. (Murray, 2013b)
In theory, egalitarianism may still work, but is that the case? Does achieving low
inequality require compromising on other, more important, goals? I look at one of the first of
these arguments: that equality stunts economic development. The impact of income inequality on
economic expansion is debated from two perspectives. Growth, according to this view, is helped
by disparity. There was a coexistence of impoverished living conditions, human misery, and
charitable organizations (Murray, 2013a).
Historically, America's social systems were founded on monetary achievement,
sometimes to an unsavory degree. However, until relatively recently in this country, the prestige
that came with being able and ready to give public service in one's local community was
considerably more critical. (Roemer & Trannoy, 2015) Direct service might be made through
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volunteer efforts, while indirect service could take the form of productive work done for its
purpose and to improve one's and one's family's standard of living.
The norm was that people could and should appreciate everyone who worked hard, for a
purpose congruent with the public good, despite racial and ethnic rivalry leading to ugly and
even dehumanizing results. In abandoning this principle, we remove the most critical foundation
upon which the destitute can construct good lives. Moreover, we are losing a massive part of
what has always distinguished the United States as a unique nation. (Sen et al., 1973)
The Social Services Provided by the Government
The intimacy of the community was suffocating, and it was embarrassing to rely on
neighbors for charity; nonetheless, most events were uninspiring. Philanthropy done by private
organizations is less efficient and less respectful of people's dignity than the social services
provided by the government. (Sen et al., 1973) People who believe their government is effective
and fair are more likely to support higher tax rates and more lavish government spending.
However, the effect of equality on tax and spending attitudes is moderated by the quality of
government; in high-quality-of-government settings, the impact of egalitarianism is more
pronounced. This study concludes that the quality of government is a significant and hitherto
underappreciated variable in explaining the public opinion of welfare programs.
The United States should reduce communal roles as Europe has already done. According
to the two significant schools of welfare economics, inequality measures are compared. (Sen et
al., 1973) It is highlighted that the literature on Allocative efficiency makes no distributional
judgments, and that the standard social welfare functions approach fails because it only considers
the individual's level. The dominant ideology of "old" welfare economics, utilitarianism, lays too
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much emphasis on the welfare sum and not enough on the distribution problem, resulting in
severely unjust outcomes. (Sen et al., 1973)
This occurred on several continents, including Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
(Depkat, 2013) European aristocrats and intellectuals looked down on the United States because
of its perceived crudeness, naivete, and barbarism. They continue to focus primarily on doing so.
Since the country's founding, the United States has welcomed millions of immigrants worldwide.
Even today, a person from the United States who travels to another country may be astonished by
the residents' enthusiasm for their own country. In the past two and a half centuries, elite thought
has altered extraordinarily little, particularly in Europe. (Depkat, 2021)
So, we cannot rely on welfare economics as a tool to evaluate inequality. (Sen et al.,
1973) These are only some counterarguments to the idea that the United States is unique
(Murray, 2013a). Many people worldwide, including many intellectuals from the United States,
despise Americans. Some think Americans are careless, loud, and overconfident (Depkat, 2013).
When discussing criticisms of the American exceptionalism ideology, it is essential to distinguish
between elite and public points of view.
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References
Arneson, R. (2013, April 24). Egalitarianism. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/egalitarianism/
Chopp, M. (2022). Alexander Hamilton, Alexis de Tocqueville, and the American Presidency.
Tulane Undergraduate Research Journal, 4(1).
Depkat, V. (2013). American Exceptionalism and Affluence. Libertyonline.vitalsource.com.
https://libertyonline.vitalsource.com/books/9781538101193
Depkat, V. (2021). American Exceptionalism. Libertyonline.vitalsource.com.
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egalitarianism - Dictionary Definition. (n.d.). Vocabulary.com. Retrieved December 7, 2022,
from https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/egalitarianism
Egalitarianism | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (2022). Internet Encylopedia of Philosphy.
https://iep.utm.edu/egalitarianism/
Habisch, A. (n.d.). The Concept of ‚Economy’in Christianity. The Concept of Economy in
Judaism, Christianity and Islam, 43.
Kenton, W. (2020, July 31). Egalitarianism. Investopedia.
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/egalitarianism.asp
Murray, C. (2013a). An Experiment in History. Libertyonline.vitalsource.com.
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Murray, C. (2013b, July 18). Is America Still Exceptional? American Enterprise Institute.
https://www.aei.org/articles/is-america-still-exceptional/
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Roemer, J. E., & Trannoy, A. (2015). Equality of Opportunity. Handbook of Income Distribution,
217–300. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-444-59428-0.00005-9
Scheffler, S. (2003). What Is Egalitarianism? Philosophy & Public Affairs, 31(1), 5–39. JSTOR.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/3558033
Scheffler, S. (2017). What is egalitarianism? In John Rawls (pp. 309–344). Routledge.
Sen, A., Sen, A., & Foster, J. (1973). 1Welfare Economics, Utilitarianism, and Equity. In On
Economic Inequality (p. 0). Oxford University Press.
https://doi.org/10.1093/0198281935.003.0001
Temkin, L. S. (2003). Egalitarianism defended. Ethics, 113(4), 764–782.
Wisley, J. D. (2015). American Exceptionalism and Civil Religion.
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