Kinds of Equality in Political Science

In this article you will learn about the various Kinds of Equality in Political Science.

Kinds of Equality

Some scholars have identified several kinds of equality but there are mainly six kinds in which Equality is available to the people.

1. Natural Equality - All persons must be treated equal as human beings, in spite of the fact that people differ in respect of their physical as well as their mental capacities and abilities. It stands for the abolition of all artificial and man-made inequalities that are present in a society.
2. Social Equality - It stands for the equal rights and opportunities for the development of all classes of people without discrimination. Specifically, it stands for the (i) absence of special privileges for any class, caste, religion or any group; (ii) prohibition of discrimination on the basis caste, creed, race, colour, religion, sex and place of birth; (iii) free entry to all public places for all i.e. no social segregation; (iv) equal opportunity for all people and (v) equal and adequate opportunities for the development of all people living in a society. In contemporary times, the main theme of social equality is to end gender inequalities and ensure equal opportunities and status for women and also to ensure equal rights of male and female children to develop.
3. Civil Equality - The slogans like “Equal rights for all” or “Only equal rights are real rights, unequal rights are privileges and not rights” all come under civil equality. It stands for the grant of equal rights and freedoms to all.
4. Political Equality - It stands for opportunities for equal participation of all in the political process and demands the grant of equal political rights to all the citizens. It refers to equal enjoyment of political rights i.e. right to vote, contest an election or hold a public office but that under equal and uniform qualifications.
5. Economic Equality - Economic equality doesn't mean equal reward or treatment for all, it only stands for equitable and adequate opportunities to all for their work and as well as for earning their livelihood. The gap between rich and poor should be minimised. Economic equality is the essential condition of political equality because without economic equality, political equality can never be real.
6. Legal Equality - Legal Equality stands for equality before law. It includes equal subjection of all to the same legal code and equal opportunity for all to secure legal protection of their rights and freedoms. The judiciary should be independent and duly empowered to provide justice and prevent injustice to anyone.

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This article on Kinds of Equality in Political Science is contributed by Dipshikha Anand. If you like LawStudyPoint.com do follow us on our Twitter handle.