The Rule of Equality and the Iniquity of Identity

Identity in its archetypal meaning of identical.

When the US constitution famously declared "all men are created equal" it did not mean that all people are identical socially, economically, and on terms of skills, capabilities, and so on.

When Pericles mentioned in his funeral oration mentioned that the laws afford equal justice to all and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that, "all are equal before the law and are entitled to (...) equal protection of the law, both did mean that before the law, all should be seen as being identical:

i.e., being entitled to identical protection under the law as well as impartiality rather than a double standard.

So, basically, we are saying that "we all have a right to the better deal, if that deal is a legal deal under applicable law" and "if that is the deal I want to be entitled to that deal, no less"



IF, however, by equality we mean identity, we run the risk of giving birth to a travesty of the fundamental rule that "all are created equal". It "all are identical".

Differences between individuals, where they do exist, should not be taken into account when individuals are under consideration. All must be seen as "identical".


If all are taken to be identical, then no-one should recognised as being "better" or "worse" than another in any capacity. Accordingly, selection made to pre-set criteria is a distortion of equality and should be abolished.

Take productivity for example; if criteria are to be abolished the measure of productivity is insignificant.


Take the performance criterion, for another example; since we do not accept that individuals are inherently different, differences in performance should not be considered. The much touted "pursuit of excellence" is admonished.

In extremis, it would seem that if we were to expect identical performance from all, then the lowest common denominator, i.e. the lowest standard, should be the inevitable goal: the performance level shared by all human beings is indubitably the lowest level.



Fortunately, the confusion of equality=identity is not implemented in any country for any number of reasons, all fortunate. Were it not so, it would lead to absurdity and inhumanity of epic proportions and this absurdity is understood.
However, the confusion of equality=identity still does inspire tragic results even today, even in our western, meritocratic societies.


In one European country recently, the ministry of education abolished experimental schools operating under a student selection and performance scheme, arguing that such practise (the pursuit of performance) promoted inequality between student and was thereby oppressive and unacceptable. In other words and in the name of equality, the institution protecting and promoting the country's standard of  education, lowered the standard of learning the in the country!


Presumably, all applicants to the country's institutions should be allowed in and all students should be allowed to graduate. Pushing it further, all students should graduate with the same grade. Official recognition of differences between the students (i.e,. grades, not graduating, etc) would be a sign of condoning inequality. No doubt, all students should also get the same mark as the best performing student -- or as the least performing student, if we do not wish to make the lowest performer feel left out...



Meritocracy becomes the rule of the lowest standard.

This is not the place not time to discuss the advantages or otherwise of the former. But we can certainly all agree to lament the latter.

Or can we??





*In teh mid 70s, in another European country then part of the Soviet bloc, 6 naval engineers were applying for a job at the Ministry of Labour.  They were duly affected to "copying duties" at the Ministry of Justice (i.e. preparing photocopies for the various departments). There were numerous positions at the Ministry of Transport and Industry as well, but the educational background was not deemed binding (inequality) and the timing was not quite there.... the positions at the other Ministries were to open after summer holidays. Hey, at least they had jobs, for a while...