6.1.5 Equality/Social Justice

Equality and Social Justice in Liberalism

social justice

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Foundational Equality

Core Principle

• Foundational Equality refers to the liberal belief that all individuals are inherently equal by virtue of being human. This concept underpins the idea that everyone is entitled to the same basic rights and freedoms, regardless of their background, race, gender, or other characteristics.
• Human Rights: Foundational equality is closely linked to the concept of human rights. Liberals believe that these rights are universal and should be guaranteed by the state. These include civil liberties such as freedom of speech, the right to a fair trial, and the right to property.

Liberal Perspective

• Classical Liberals: View foundational equality primarily in terms of legal equality, where all individuals are treated equally under the law. They emphasize protecting individual rights and ensuring that no one is above the law.
• Modern Liberals: Extend foundational equality to include social and economic rights, arguing that the state should ensure that everyone has access to basic needs such as education and healthcare, which are essential for individuals to exercise their foundational rights effectively.

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Formal Equality

Definition

Impact on Society

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Equality of Opportunity

Core Concept

• Equality of Opportunity refers to the idea that all individuals should have an equal chance to succeed, regardless of their starting point in life. This is a key principle in liberalism, as it aligns with the belief in individual merit and the importance of personal responsibility.
• Meritocracy: Equality of opportunity is closely linked to the concept of meritocracy, where individuals succeed based on their talents, efforts, and abilities, rather than on the circumstances of their birth or social background.

Liberal Perspective

• Classical Liberals: Advocate for equality of opportunity in a minimal state context, where the role of the state is to remove legal barriers and discrimination, allowing individuals to compete on a level playing field. They believe that as long as the state does not discriminate, individuals should be free to pursue their own paths.
• Modern Liberals: Recognize that social and economic inequalities can prevent true equality of opportunity. Therefore, they support a more active role for the state in providing education, healthcare, and welfare to ensure that everyone has the resources they need to compete fairly and succeed based on merit.

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Meritocracy

Definition

Liberal Perspective

• Classical Liberals: Believe that a free-market economy naturally leads to a meritocracy, where individuals are rewarded for their hard work and abilities. They argue that as long as there is equality of opportunity, the market will fairly allocate rewards based on merit.
• Modern Liberals: Agree with the concept of meritocracy but emphasize that the state must play a role in leveling the playing field. They argue that without state intervention to address social and economic inequalities, true meritocracy cannot exist, as some individuals will be disadvantaged from the start.

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Comparing Classical and Modern Liberal Views on Equality

• Foundational Equality:
  • Classical Liberals: Focus on legal equality, ensuring that everyone has the same rights and protections under the law.
  • Modern Liberals: Extend foundational equality to include social and economic rights, advocating for state intervention to guarantee that everyone can exercise their rights effectively.
• Formal Equality:
  • Classical Liberals: Strongly support formal equality, emphasizing the importance of treating everyone equally under the law and preventing discrimination.
  • Modern Liberals: Also support formal equality but believe that it is not enough on its own. They argue that the state must address underlying social and economic inequalities to ensure that formal equality translates into real, meaningful equality for all.
• Equality of Opportunity:
  • Classical Liberals: Advocate for minimal state intervention, believing that removing legal barriers and discrimination is sufficient to achieve equality of opportunity.
  • Modern Liberals: Support a more active state role in providing resources and opportunities to those who are disadvantaged, ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to succeed based on merit.

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Social Justice in Liberalism

Different Ways of Defining Social Justice:

• Classical Liberal View: Classical liberals often define social justice in terms of procedural fairness, where justice is achieved by ensuring that everyone is treated equally under the law and has the same opportunities to succeed. They argue that social justice is a byproduct of a free-market economy where individuals can pursue their interests without interference.
• Modern Liberal View: Modern liberals have a broader definition of social justice, emphasizing the need for redistributive policies to address economic and social inequalities. They believe that true social justice cannot be achieved merely by legal equality but requires active state intervention to level the playing field and provide support to those disadvantaged by circumstances beyond their control.

How Different Strands of Liberalism Believe Social Justice is Achieved:

• Classical Liberals: Advocate for a system of justice where the rule of law is paramount, and individuals are free to pursue their own goals with minimal state interference. They believe social justice is achieved when everyone has the legal freedom to act according to their own rational self-interest and when property rights are protected. Any inequalities that arise are seen as the result of individual differences in talent, effort, and choices, and are thus viewed as just.
• Modern Liberals: Argue that social justice requires a more active role for the state to ensure that all individuals have not only legal equality but also the material conditions necessary to exercise their freedoms effectively. They support policies like progressive taxation, social welfare programs, and affirmative action to reduce inequalities and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to succeed. Modern liberals believe that social justice involves not just the protection of individual rights but also the promotion of social and economic equality to ensure that everyone can participate fully in society.

Tension Between Individual Freedom and Social Justice:

• Within liberalism, there is often tension between the classical liberal emphasis on individual freedom and the modern liberal focus on social justice. Classical liberals may argue that too much focus on redistributive justice can infringe on individual freedoms, particularly property rights, while modern liberals contend that without some level of redistribution and state intervention, true freedom and equality of opportunity cannot exist.

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Conclusion

• Equality and social justice are central tenets of liberalism, with both classical and modern liberals agreeing on the importance of foundational equality, formal equality, and equality of opportunity.
• However, they differ in their views on the role of the state in achieving these goals. Classical liberals emphasize minimal state intervention, focusing on legal equality and meritocracy, while modern liberals advocate for a more active state role in addressing social and economic inequalities to ensure that all individuals can fully exercise their rights and compete on an equal footing.
• These differences reflect broader debates within liberalism about the balance between individual liberty, social justice, and the role of the state in promoting a fair and just society.