Equality

In societies there are two types of mutually exclusive equality: equality of opportunity and equality of outcome.

With equality of opportunity, everyone has the same chance to make something of themselves. But they will only go as far as their efforts take them. Equality of opportunity is one of the key characteristics of a capitalist society. It is the fact that any one can go from pauper to prince that drives the innovation and success of a capitalist society.

Equality of outcome is the trademark of a communist society. Innovation and ambition are suppressed as everyone ends up the same, regardless of the effort put forth.

They are the two extremes of society. One, equality of opportunity, is viewed even by its adherents as heartless and occasionally unfair in its outcomes. The other, equality of outcome, is viewed as the sign of a utopian society. Both systems have advantages and disadvantages, but the equality of opportunity is generally viewed as the better of the two systems.

But what happens when a society switches from one equality to the other? South Africa is providing us with an example.

During the years of apartheid, the outcome for blacks in the country was equal - they got taken care of, but that was it. No matter how much effort they put forth, they could never become rich or part of the ruling party. They were forever banished to be second-class citizens in their own country, to be taken care of by the government as proof of the benevolence of the whites.

The system was inherently unfair to the blacks, but it provided them with the security of knowing how their station in life.

But with the end of apartheid, came equality of opportunity for blacks. They are still behind the eight ball when it comes to competing with the whites, but the opportunity to try is there.

But what is happening is that the first non-apartheid generation is falling even further behind the whites. Is this proof positive that the theory of equality of opportunity is a failed concept, as its detractors would have you to believe?

No. The first generation to experience a new paradigm is almost always completely unequipped to take full advantage of the situation. And so they appear to fail.

But as each succeeding generation comes along, it will be better and better equipped to handle the freedoms that equality of opportunity provides. And as each succeeding generation comes along, the gap between the blacks and the whites in South Africa will close.

The process will not be an easy one. Frustration, setbacks and poor decisions will be part of the learning curve. Signs of frustration are already setting in as shown by the statistic from the BBC article above that claims that 29% of avoidable deaths were due to physical violence. The article claims that to be a symptom of poverty; I feel it is a manifestation of frustration.

The blacks of South Africa need to look no further than the United States to see that progress is possible. The southern blacks of the US went through a similar change at the end of the Civil War. Today, the blacks of the US are equipped to take on the challenge of equal opportunity. Like whites, not all of them take full advantage of the opportunities presented, but the opportunity is there for the taking.

It took over 100 years for the change to occur in the US. Technology and a better start education-wise will make the process shorter for the blacks of South Africa.

Assuming that the government doesn't decide to interfere in the natural process that needs to occur. A social safety net is one thing, but it must not be too much. But the government, being partially a relic of the colonialist past, is already showing signs of overt socialism. If they provide too rich a net too early, the taxes will destroy the incentive needed to advance the overall cause of the blacks in South Africa.

The process began at the lifting of apartheid. The BBC is now realizing that it won't be a walk in the park. Let's hope that the blacks of South Africa have the fortitude to stay the course.