EQUALITY/EGALITARIANISM

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 488.

Equality is perhaps the most prized American value and is enshrined in the preamble to the United States Declaration of Independence, which states that “all men are created equal” [20]. The concept is further preserved in the Constitution, which states, “No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States” [21]. The founders of our nation sought to ensure that the English social caste system (a landed, hereditary aristocracy) they had escaped could not develop in America. Rather than focus on the literal meaning of “created equal,” let us look at the ideals behind those words, which we believe were best explained by Abraham Lincoln in 1860, when he said, “We do wish to allow the humblest man an equal chance to get rich with everybody else.” Thus, the value that pervades contemporary U.S. society can be termed “equal opportunity.” All people should have the same opportunity to succeed in life, and the state, through laws and educational opportunities, is expected to guarantee that right.

The American value of equal opportunity translates into equality and informality in social relationships. For instance, most of the primary social relationships within a family tend to promote egalitarianism rather than hierarchy. Formality is generally not important. In secondary relationships, most friendships and coworkers are also treated as equals, usually interacting on a first name basis. People from cultures that adhere to formal social structures often find it disconcerting to work with Americans, whom they believe diminish the value of social status differences. We are not implying that Americans completely ignore hierarchy, but it is usually a secondary consideration or applied only in specific contexts, such as seating arrangements and formal introductions.

We should remember that contradictions often exist within U.S. values. The history of the United States is replete with examples of discrimination based on skin color, ethnicity, gender, level of education, social class, sexual preference, and even choice of religion. Unfortunately, today some people still continue to use these criteria to evaluate others. While she acknowledges that many Americans have experienced periods of inequality, Hanson points out “Not all citizens have had equal rights throughout the course of the country's history, but Americans nevertheless value the notion highly and strive toward this ideal” [22].