Opinion of Egalitarianism

[A18]

Negative

[nclib]

Positive

[Nym90]

Overall, positive.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

Negative

[MaC]

positive; it's not feminism.

[DanielX]

What's being 'equalized'? Depending on that, it's positive or negative.

[John Dibble]

Couple of definitions:

e·gal·i·tar·i·an    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (-gl-târ-n)
adj.
Affirming, promoting, or characterized by belief in equal political, economic, social, and civil rights for all people.

egalitarianism

n : the doctrine of the equality of mankind and the desirability of political and economic and social equality


The first definition seems like a positive concept to me - it's equality of rights, not total equality. So positive for that one. The second one seems about making everyone totally equal - might be poor wording, but total equality is a pipe dream and all attempts to implement it usually backfire.

[Citizen James]

Positive.

Except when it is appled to lesser peoples. (kidding. Jeez.)

[A18]

The second one seems about making everyone totally equal - might be poor wording, but total equality is a pipe dream and all attempts to implement it usually backfire.

But suppose it could be implemented. Is it a worthy goal? I certainly don't think so.

[John Dibble]

The second one seems about making everyone totally equal - might be poor wording, but total equality is a pipe dream and all attempts to implement it usually backfire.

But suppose it could be implemented. Is it a worthy goal? I certainly don't think so.

Well, in order for there to be true total equality, we'd all have to be exactly the same - the world would be a rather boring place in that case, so no. If only in economic terms, well, frankly I don't think people should be equal since there are those who aren't willing to put their all into earning it, so again no.

[Beet]

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But suppose it could be implemented. Is it a worthy goal? I certainly don't think so.
[/quote]

Well, in order for there to be true total equality, we'd all have to be exactly the same - the world would be a rather boring place in that case, so no. If only in economic terms, well, frankly I don't think people should be equal since there are those who aren't willing to put their all into earning it, so again no.
[/quote]

I agree, but it should be obvious that many large differences in income aren't due to micro-level factors. Not everyone can be a lawyer, doctor, or investment banker. Someone has to clean the restrooms and collect garbage, and always will. Those who are doing the less well paid work ought to be able to afford basic things like health care and housing, even though the prices of these things are driven up by the market beyond what they could afford. The same principle applies internationally. No one would say that Moldova, for example has a GDP per capita of $2,100 while we have a GDP per capita of $40,000 because Americans work 20 times harder than Moldovans, especially since our average workweek is 33.8 hours (theirs would have to be 1.7 hours).