Who this page is for
- Revising the whole chapter in five minutes, the night before the exam
- Key definitions, thinkers and comparison tables in one place
1Key definitions
All definitions at a glance
EqualityEqual worth and respect for all human beings, because of their shared humanity
Equality of OpportunityEqual rights and opportunities to develop one’s skills and pursue one’s goals, even if outcomes differ
Natural inequalityInequality assumed to arise from inborn capability, treated as unalterable
Social inequalityInequality created by society, through unequal opportunity or exploitation of one group by another
PatriarchyA social, economic and cultural system giving men greater importance and power than women
Affirmative ActionPositive, often temporary steps to correct the cumulative effect of past inequality, such as reservation
Sapta KrantiRammanohar Lohia’s 5 inequalities plus 2 extra revolutions, the ideal of socialism for him
2Three dimensions of equality, at a glance
| Dimension | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Political | Equal citizenship, the right to vote, freedom of expression, movement and association |
| Social | Equality of opportunity in education, health and housing, a guaranteed minimum standard of life |
| Economic | Narrowing the gap in wealth, property and income, avoiding entrenched inequality |
3Four ideologies, one line each
What each ideology blames or trusts
Feminism and Marxism
- Feminism: inequality traced to patriarchy, “sex” versus “gender”
- Marxism (Marx): inequality’s root cause is private ownership
Liberalism and Socialism
- Liberalism: competition is the fairest way to distribute rewards, each sphere tackled separately
- Socialism (Lohia): 5 inequalities + 2 revolutions = Sapta Kranti
4Key names, and what the data shows
| Item | Name, or what it shows |
|---|---|
| Global inequality fact sheet | A huge gap in income and resources between the richest and poorest people and countries |
| Household amenities table | Urban families have far more basic amenities than rural families |
| Higher-education table | Large gaps between castes and communities, pointing to the working of the caste system |
| Physicist who overcame a “natural” limitation | Stephen Hawking |
| Indian socialist thinker, Sapta Kranti | Rammanohar Lohia |
| French Revolution’s slogan | Liberty, Equality and Fraternity (18th century) |
The book says its facts and figures are only to help you appreciate the nature of inequality; they need not be memorised.
5Three ways to promote equality
1Formal equality: the Constitution prohibits discrimination and abolishes untouchability
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2Differential treatment: ramps, night-shift safety for women, these enhance equality rather than reduce it
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3Affirmative action: reservation/quotas, temporary special help to correct past disadvantage
The most commonly asked distinction
“Identical treatment” (giving everyone the same thing) versus “treating as equal” (the goal is promoting equality, even if that needs different treatment for different people). Every instance of differential treatment must still be justified, or it risks becoming a new form of discrimination.
Final recap, in under a minute
- Equality means equal respect, not identical treatment in every situation
- The natural/social inequality line is often blurred
- Three dimensions: political, social, economic
- Four ideologies: feminism, Marxism, liberalism, socialism
- Three tools: formal equality, differential treatment, affirmative action
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