If people are free, some will achieve much more than others. The only way to ensure true ‘equity’ is to force everyone to be stuck at the bottom. This requires a tyrannical government, and the pursuit of ‘equity’ as a societal goal makes tyranny inevitable.
Why do the countries that focus on ‘equity’ and ‘equality of outcome’ end up as tyrannical states, while the countries that took more of a live-and-let-live attitude – freeing people to either succeed or fail on their own merits – ended up both much wealthier and much freer?
This is a question that Communists, and their ‘woke’ neo-Communist successors tend to avoid discussing.
They avoid it because the conclusion is both simple yet profound: It’s easy to bring people down to the same level, but it’s impossible to bring everyone up to the same level.
If one person can lift 500 pounds, and another person can only lift 50 pounds, it may be physically impossible to train the weaker lifter to the point at which they can also lift 500 pounds. However, if you starve the person who can lift 500 pounds, or break some of their limbs, you can surely bring them down to the same level of strength as the weaker lifter.
Now, the weaker lifter isn’t any better off by the situation being ‘equalized.’ There may be ‘equity’ in how much the two can lift, but that doesn’t make the weaker person any stronger. It only makes the stronger person weaker. The total combined strength of the two is lower, and that leaves everyone worse off. If the once-weaker person is stuck in a burning building, there will be one less strong person to potentially rescue them.
Of course, since many people are jealous and greedy for what has been earned by others, they don’t mind seeing others be brought down. Indeed, for many that is the true impulse behind their support for what we call socialism/collectivism/communism.
And it’s why many people dislike capitalism, despite capitalism objectively being the system that generates the most prosperity and improved living standards. Some people are happier seeing everyone brought down to their level rather than watching people be free to achieve their full potential.
Those pushing for equity don’t want you to realize that it requires tyranny
This column was inspired by a Tweet from Fred Kirkey on Twitter, which I include below:
“If we are all treated equally, there would be a massive disparity of outcomes based on knowledge, skill and motivation.
Equity may be what they are saying, but it is NOT what regressives are selling. They want disproportionate treatment based on identity.”
If we are all treated equally, there would be a massive disparity of outcomes based on knowledge, skill and motivation.
Equity may be what they are saying, but it is NOT what regressives are selling. They want disproportionate treatment based on identity. https://t.co/HdPrvH3PZ9— Fred Kirkey (@FredKirkey1) May 10, 2023
Kirkey is 100% right in noting how “regressive” this really is.
It’s not just Kamala Harris pushing the idea of ‘equity’. It is endemic among those who call themselves ‘progressive.’
For example, ‘diversity,’ ‘equity,’ and ‘inclusion’ is spreading throughout the federal public service and even the Canadian Armed Forces.
Environment minister Steven Guilbeault wants “rich countries” to pay billions to the “global south” as supposed ‘restitution’ for climate change. What this really means is that he wants more of your money – earned through your own effort – to go towards enriching other countries – many of which are run by dictators and are impoverished largely due to their own refusal to free their own people. It’s a push for ‘global equity.’
You’ll note of course that the idea of everyone ending up in “the same place” is very communistic. “From each according to their ability, to each according to their need.” Take from the productive, give to those who don’t produce. Make everyone the same. Flatten all outcomes.
That’s what the collectivists want.
But people will resist it. People always resist it. When people realize that they are being turned into beasts of burden for others, when their hard-work benefits the amorphous ‘masses’ rather than themselves & their loved ones, and when people realize that the more effort they expend the more they are punished, they will fight back.
And so, attempts to force equity and force equal outcomes always generate resistance which is then countered with increasingly tyrannical government. And because the collectivists delude themselves into thinking they are acting for some sort of noble ‘common good,’ they feel justified in becoming more and more aggressive towards those who fight against tyranny.
Freedom hasn’t existed for long
Some people may think I’m being overdramatic when I talk about the rising threat of communism and collectivism in Canada and around the world.
However, we must remember that when compared to the long-run of human history, capitalist democracies (by far the most successful system) have only been around for the blink of an eye. There is no guarantee that it will remain. In fact, we can be almost certain it won’t remain unless we work to provide a strong ideological and philosophical defence for capitalism & individual freedom. If we don’t, then the future will be controlled by the tyrannical equity-pushers.
Spencer Fernando
