What is the Point of Equality? by Elizabeth Anderson (Close Reading)

After last month’s short story, we revisit the concept of Equality through Elizabeth Anderson’s essay, “What is the Point of Equality?”
For Anderson, Equality is not mainly about correcting unfair distributions of luck. It is about creating a society of people who stand in relations of equal respect, without domination, oppression, stigma, or social hierarchy. So equality is fundamentally relational and political, not merely distributive.

She is largely reacting to the theories of Luck Egalitarianism, which she feels miss the point. For Luck Egalitarianism, Inequalities are unjust when they result from brute luck (bad fortune outside one’s control) but acceptable when they result from responsible choice (option luck, voluntary risk-taking, etc.).

Anderson argues that people are entitled to democratic standing simply as persons and citizens, not because they made prudent choices. So inequality is bad not merely because some have less, but because unequal power corrupts social relations. This is why she rejects making basic welfare conditional on moral deservingness.

Anderson calls her view democratic equality, which is strongly influenced by republican ideas about non-domination, democratic citizenship, feminist critiques of hierarchy, and civil rights traditions. She treats inequality as dangerous when it creates oppression, marginalization, servility,
caste-like relations, or domination by employers or elites.

She also thinks obsession with distinguishing “deserving” from “undeserving” citizens creates humiliating and authoritarian institutions. Anderson argues that luck egalitarianism turns the state into a giant judge of personal virtue. The state must constantly ask: Was your poverty your fault? Did you choose badly? Were you imprudent? Did you work hard enough?

A free society should not require citizens to justify their worthiness at every turn. Equality matters because people should relate to one another as citizens, peers, co-deliberators, and social equals.

Join us for a close reading of this thought provoking essay! All are welcome!