I think when we attempt to define "equality," we can bang our heads together and crank out a decent general definition. On the other hand, I propose that we tackle equality as it relates to various aspects of our culture. I suggest (mind you, no one needs to take me up on this) that we undertake an approach within the context of the framers of our nation. (Far be it from my intention to appear over-zealous in my patriotic spirit) Specifically, equality as presented in the "inalienable rights" part of the Declaration of Independence; "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." In the words of the Founding Fathers, "to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men." "All men are created equal," that is a given, or "self evident." For me, in the purest sense of our vision of liberty as Americans, equality is granted by a higher power, and it is up to us to define equality through the means by which we govern ourselves, hence my argument that we present the definition through our cultural mandate as indicated by the original institute of our government. Does that make sense?
Life is a simple notion with complex underpinnings. Equality of life means that everyone, that is everyone has a right to exist. We are born, we thrive, we grow up, and in America, we live. All the other stuff, like education, opportunity, and justice are covered by the other rights, as far as I can see. This one says we all deserve to be alive. It could also be construed as a right to health because health is directly connected to existence. We conduct ourselves based on our well-being, and affect others' well-being in the process. With that said, our government, and our equality of life all depend on our health individually, and collectively (Bezruchka ).
Liberty on the other hand, is a complex notion with simple underpinnings. Liberty is another "natural" human right and government or law is restrictive of that right, even if only in a small sense. "Every law imposes some restriction on the natural liberty of mankind, which restriction is an injustice, unless legitimated by tending to their good." (Mill 31) Everyone has a personal sense of liberty, and protest when they feel it is compromised. Ultimately, we are all equal when it comes to the fact that government will set a boundary for us at some point in our lives. One boundary set by our government is taxation. How far those boundaries will limit our freedom, and how often the government moves to restrict us in comparison with another individual's government-set limits is what defines equality of liberty in America.
The pursuit of happiness is what probably gets the most discussion. Offering Americans an equal opportunity to exercise this right has been the overarching theme for most American political campaigns throughout history. The "pursuit of happiness," at least in the US, involves property. This emphasis on economy and consumerism is a hallmark of the character of Americans, at least as seen through the eyes of many in other countries. (Pursuing Happiness 32) This "inalienable right" is a summary of sorts, for the other rights secured by our government. However, the opportunity to pursue happiness in our country does not necessarily involve an equal playing field. The deck seems to be stacked in favor of those who have more property. In spite of claiming the title of richest country in the world, the poor of our country have only about half of what the poor in Norway and Japan have. (Pogge 68) The American mean household income is $45,072 (Webster). Considering that 7,605,303 families meet the US Census Bureau's definition of poverty, that does not leave much room for prosperity in our nation (Webster). However controversial that the concept may seem, health (see "inalienable right" 1, above) is directly related to the economies of nations and the US is not an exception by far. The spending on health care in the United States makes up nearly one half of all monies paid for health care worldwide (Bezruchka ). Considering the national debt, this can't be good for government.
So, from what I have discovered, equality is directly related to health, legal, and economic boundaries set forth by our government if we consider it all from the standpoint of the Founding Fathers.
References:
Bezruchka, Stephen. Economic Equality is Best Medicine." Seattle Post Intelligencer 26 Jun 2006, Sunday ed.: Opinion.
Mill, John Stuart. Utilitarianism. 7th. London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1879.
Pogge, Thomas. "Growth and Inequality." Dissent 02 Jan 2008: 66-75.
"Pursuing Happiness." The Economist 01 July 2006: 32.
Webster, Bruce H.. "Income, Earnings, and Poverty from the 2006 ACS." US Census Bureau. Aug 2007. US Census Bureau. 8 Feb 2008 .
