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Equality in Contemporary Political Thought

An Examination and an Assessment

Rutgers University

This article reviews selected aspects of recent and contemporary Anglo-American political thought on equality. The focus of analysis is the continuing controversy in the United States between neoconservatives and egalitarians concerning the definition of basic equality, the meaning of equality of opportunity, and the proper policies neces sary to guarantee to all citizens equal opportunity for occupational attainment. An issue central to this debate is whether equality of opportunity is consistent with treating diferent individuals in different ways. In three interrelated sections, the definition of equality-as-similarity and the various meanings of the derivative equal opportunity doctrine are considered, and the neoconservative critique of egalitarian public policies is discussed together with egalitarian counter arguments. The concluding section contains an evaluation of neoconservative and egalitarian arguments. A central idea which emerges from this survey of contemporary thought about equality is that equal provision is not identical provision, and that to treat people as equals may at times require that we treat them differently.

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