Importance of Equality

Theoretical foundation of Equality as a right of all human beings.- Known by all, equality is like a basic principle thanks to which all individuals are granted the same chances before the same rights. This concept arose in the 18th century coupled with other values, Liberty and Fraternity, constituting itself as the foundation on which our modern democracy as we know it today has been built, since the Declaration of Human rights (1948).

And thus, Equality, like Freedom, is an inalienable right for the human being, as a form part of the person since he is born, and it is a condition that will be attributed to him until the last day of his life. But Equality does not mean that all human beings should be equal, quite the contrary, Equality presupposes that differences are something intrinsic to people, and these, for the reasons characteristics that distinguish them, should not be deprived of these rights. For this reason, equality is one of the fundamental values ​​that have shaped the current political systems based on legal and political equality for all citizens.

Variation of the concept of equality over time

We can easily say that the concept of equality has been transformed in numerous ways through historical time. This is mainly due to the fact that the human mentality and cultural system changes as life itself changes and implies new needs or realities.

In Antiquity, the concept of equality clearly did not exist as we know it today and we could even risk saying that it did not exist directly since societies they implemented a complex network of power and classes from which one could not escape and which signified the historical destiny of an individual: if one was born humble, one died humble. As the West began to develop more modern practices of economics, that is, when capitalism began to emerge in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, some groups began to claim political rights and thus the idea of ​​economic power linked to political equality to participate and take decisions. However, we cannot yet speak of a complete notion of the term.

It is only from the 18th century onwards that it becomes more complex and begins to approach what we know today. This occurs from the deep social inequalities that are generated with the Industrial Revolution and harsh capitalism. We can point to the French Revolution Yet the Russian Revolution as cornerstones on the road to a broader notion of equality.

Equality and its links with political power

From these values, we have created our political system. So that we all have a place in it, despite our inequalities; be they sex, race, economics, even physical or mental condition. For legal norms to be universal and their application in practice to be equal, for that everyone can participate in the formation of the government, and we are all socially treated with equity.

In this way, we can say that Equality has the property of forming the political system from plurality and thus, articulating social relations from diversity. It serves as a control mechanism for Power in all senses, since it establishes social relations and policies based on the fact that all men have the same value, as well as the same rights, opportunities and obligations. Which, going a step further, supposes that there are no legitimate social or political classes to exercise their dominance over others, that there are no groups with special rights, or that they lack certain obligations.

In this sense, we can deduce that the importance of equality resides in two essential ideas that have served so that it develops as one of the fundamental values ​​on which our system. These ideas are the acceptance of diversity and parity in social relations, which continue to be necessary ingredients for democracy to become effective today. Equality supposes the application of a system of greater justice on the differences that still exist between human beings today.

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