Fair Equality of Opportunity and the Place for Individual Merit in a Liberal Democratic Society

Nunzio Alì

doi:10.1590/1981-3821202200010002

Abstract

Although equality of opportunity is a fundamental idea of the egalitarian project, there is a continuing controversy about the effective distributive implications of the notion. This paper focuses on this controversy, and maintains that when equality of opportunity is correctly understood, it entails strong distributive implications. In this way, this paper intends to reject the notion that equality of opportunity is associated with a non-institutional idea of meritocracy: an idea which is often used as an ideological tool to make unacceptable inequalities seem acceptable. This paper defends the argument that only an ‘institution-dependent’ conception of equality of opportunity, such as Rawls’ fair equality opportunity, is the most adequate interpretation for a liberal democratic society. Nonetheless, it does not mean that individual merit has no place in liberal democratic societies. Fair equality of opportunity - if correctly understood - is deeply relevant and might contribute to a significant reduction of economic inequality, much more so than is currently perceived in the public debate.

Highlights

In the current debate the issue of the disparity of 'goods' between people seems to be attached to an idea of equality, and for this reason it has generated an egalitarian debate1
Given that egalitarians do not believe in perfect material equality, they must not avoid answering a decisive question: “Who will obtain the social positions that come with more of the currency of egalitarian justice? Almost any answer to this question will invoke some conception of equal opportunity” (FISHKIN, 2014, p. 41)
Equality of opportunity is a fundamental idea of the egalitarian project, there is a deep controversy about the effective distributive implications of the notion

Summary

Introduction

In the current debate the issue of the disparity of 'goods' between people seems to be attached to an idea of equality, and for this reason it has generated an egalitarian debate. The point is that equality of opportunity is, in principle, insensitive to inequality of result (or ex-post), or better is an essential ex-ante concept: everyone should have an equal starting point From this perspective, equality of opportunity is strictly linked to the notion of meritocracy, so that once equality of opportunity is reached, economic difference between individuals no longer matters. Equality of opportunity is strictly linked to the notion of meritocracy, so that once equality of opportunity is reached, economic difference between individuals no longer matters Put in these terms, it seems inevitable to consider equality of opportunity a weak egalitarian idea, or worse “an idea that makes unacceptable inequalities seem acceptable” Equality of opportunity is a fundamental idea of the egalitarian project, there is a deep controversy about the effective distributive implications of the notion

Objectives

Conclusion