Class and Inequality : Flu or Cancer?

"In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of." ~ Confucius






Can we believe that inequality can be abolished?

Enlightened philosophers have long ago believed that the nature of society itself creates inequality. Let us first ask ourselves, what does it mean to be equal? Do not make the mistake of equating equal opportunities and equality to be the same. We are all born different, special unique and weird from one another. Does it even make sense to try to attain a society where we are all the same?

I personally feel that inequality stems from the face that we are "individuals" and different "talents". Our starting points in life are different(social class). Our issued equipments are different(economic status). Even what you where taught in school to believe are different(cultural socialization). Ask yourself again, does it still make "sense" for us to try to abolish inequality? Let us talk about our society. Today's society is bureaucratic and capitalist in nature. Karl Marx calls the capitalist class the "ruling" class. A capitalist society needs bosses; a bureaucratic society needs leaders and its CEOs.

Inequality is present the moment an individual gain leverage over another, when one society conquers another. When one farmer becomes more successful then another, he acquires capital, purchases land and thereafter hires workers to work his land so he won't have to farm. Just follow that train of thought and you will arrive at a capitalist society. A large mass of labor needs a leader. Follow that train of thought and you will arrive at a bureaucratic society. These societies have the "best" forms of "governance" that we have today. How do i dare pass such a statement? The fact that I am typing this on a laptop in an air-conditioned room in a high-rise building is testament enough. Other forms of governance like fascism, communism and socialism have not been as successful. Therefore we must first agree that these systems are here to stay, before anyone can start to "tackle" the problem of Inequality and other social ills which sprout from it.

Next we need to come to an appreciation that inequality is a byproduct of these systems. Think of it as a pair of newlyweds whose first child is mentally handicapped( let us assume that these newlyweds follow Confucian ideals and not Nazi sentiments, and they are not allowed to give up the child, and will then have to raise the child ). Obviously if they neglect this child, he will become a severe problem for them. This child although mentally challenged, when given the proper environment, proper guidance and proper patient teachers, he would in time be able to perform his social acting to some mild degree and care for himself sufficiently. We must take a similar approach towards inequality in our society. It have became a necessary evil, and therefore must be necessarily treated. But how do we treat inequality? Are we to treat it like a "flu" or like a terminal "cancer"?

The attitude one have when treating something as "part of life" or "part of growing up" is different from the attitude one have from treating a terminal illness. I think we must take the "flu" approach. Properly treated it can be improved; left alone it can be terminal. How Singapore does it it by trying to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor. It taxes the rich heavily for the many subsidies the government have created for the poor. It tries at all levels to provide "equal" opportunities. In school or the work place, a student or a interviewee wont feel that his social class at birth will affect his entry or promotion. Ask yourselves, when was the last time you heard someone say "Argh damn, my father drives a lorry and so I cant apply for that banker job!".

In conclusion, I believe that inequality is necessary in some twisted fashion, if everyone was truly equal in society then I believe that everyone will equally do nothing. Inequality is a byproduct of an "imperfect" system which have survived the Darwinian challenges in the geopolitical world. Therefore, constant vigilance must be paid to this mentally challenged child with a flu lest it tears us apart from within.