The American Declaration of Independence declares :
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”
And women ? Are they ‘created equal’ with men?
The formulators of this declaration
did not consider women – or slaves – as equals.
They opposed the idea that
women must have the same rights as men
thankfully, governance is a 'fluid' concept'
And since no two creatures are ‘created equal’
the declaration also contradicts biological facts.
The 'spirit' of the 'Declaration of independence'
appropriately reflectes
the social dictates and collective understanding
of the time.
Social dictates change
– individuals evolve –
governance is a 'fluid' concept'
– 'nothing is 'set in stone'
- except the laws of nature -
What ‘equality’ did its authors have in mind ?
Did they mean biologically equal? Legally equal? Economic equality? Political equality? These are different matters. It seems they meant legal equality - namely, that all laws apply equally to all people, whatever their origin, race, sex, creed, wealth or power, so no one is above the law. The impeachment of President Nixon in 1974 for his part in the Watergate scandal demonstrated this equality, it showed that even a President of the United States is not above the law.
But what about equal authority to create laws?
Do all citizens have equal opportunity and authority to propose, debate, and vote, on every law?
Certainly not. Very few citizens are authorized to vote on laws or policies. Those who do so are not legal experts but politicians. Applying all laws equally to all citizens is important, but equal authority to vote on laws is more important. Authority to vote on laws and policies is authority to make the rules that all citizens must obey.
Every citizen must have the right to decide which laws society should accept. After all, the purpose of law is to improve the life of all citizens. Shouldn’t those whose life is to be improved decide themselves how to do it? Apparently not, as in no society today are all citizens authorized to propose, debate and vote for the laws and policies of their society.
The Principle of Political Equality asserts that
even though no two citizens are biologically equal
each must have equal opportunity to participate
in civil debate
and equal authority to vote on
every law and policy
affecting their society.
Only those individuals who have this equality
can live by their own decisions - and are free.
Only when each and every citizen has equal opportunity to participate in civil debate and political discourse AND equal authority to decide the laws by which they will be governed and subjected, can society be considered 'Free and Democratic'. Only a Free and Democratic Society has moral authority to legislate in the name and determined interest of each and every individual citizen.
Many if not most people understand the principle of Political Equality, once explained, to be self-evident. Some, sadly too many people have mindlessly accepted the 'illusion' that in 'our democracy' each of us already have and have always had Political Equality. We vote. We're Free. Yet these same people can't explain why they are most often in conflict with the positions of the very people they 'democratically' elected to represent them and their individual concerns and interests.
Thoughtful individuals suffer this
'baffling but ever-present disconnect'
in silence
because
those to whom they turn
for information and guidance,
be it media or any politician,
any political affiliate or
any other invested collective,
would rather die
than acknowledge, explain or debate much less accept, promote or protect
the individual's right to Political Equality.
They not only oppose the application of Political Equality
to themselves but
to society - to governance – to politics - our institutions, schools, unions and in the workplace.
It would be political suicide for ANY ONE OF THEM to tell you that.
They are UNITED in thieir unspoken deception
The application of the principle of Political Equality recognises and protects individual rights and 'democracy' in governance, but it also abolishes selective and collective power and domination in every area of society. Those with power, authority or influence will oppose anything and everyone that threatens – even principle. Political Equality equalizes ‘leaders’ and ‘led’, dominates and dominated. No political party leader, Right or Left, will accept that all members of his or her party have equal opportunity to participate and equal authority to propose, debate and vote on every policy of their party. Human behaviour – in the absence of 'authentic democracy' has predictably evolved to a point where those who have been given power, authority, and influence will oppose anything and everything that threatens it – beginning with indifference to the rights of the individuals who entrusted them with their lives.
Ironically, most ‘liberals’ denounce Political Equity for taking Democracy too far, and label it ‘Populism’ - somehow insinuating that the idea of representing the consensus of the populace wasn't in fact the very goal of authentic democracy, but rather some form of 'opportunism'. They are the same bunch who distort the meaning of authentic Democracy and write it off as ‘dated’ or ‘unrealistic’, promoting instead the preferences of a few be imposed on all.
Social Democrats oppose the principle Political Equity no less than Corporate Capitalists on the RIGHT, arguing that what really matters is the Principle of Economic Equality, not of Political Equality. Socialists ignore the fact that in all the states based on economic equality (the USSR and the former ‘Eastern Bloc’) only a handful of officials decided everything for everybody, and 99.99% of all citizens had no authority to decide anything, not even who should decide for them. In reality - very few of their citizens supported the very systems that were supposed to overcome oppression and exploitation caused by economic inequality.
The fact that these systems were based on political inequality they produced greater oppression and exploitation by denying their citizens political freedom. Is it any wonder that most people who grew up in former socialist states prefer economic inequality of capitalism to political inequality of socialism.? The collapse of the USSR was the historical proof that economic equality is inferior to political equality - and cannot create it.
Opponents of political equality argue that most citizens lack the knowledge to understand the laws they vote for, either their benefits or their drawbacks. Is it necessary to point out that this circumstance also applies to most politicians who vote on laws now? Most of them are not legal experts, yet they debate and vote on laws and policies. They call experts to explain the consequences of proposed policies, then they choose the option that suits their own priorities. Every citizen can do the same. If a law or policy has unforeseen negative results, the citizens can always repeal them.
There is absolutely no reason
why individual citizens
cannot assume their proper role,
and their personal responsibility,
in defining and directing the policies
that govern them.
Only when each and every citizen has equal opportunity to participate in civil debate and political discourse AND
equal authority to decide the laws by which they will be governed and subjected, can society be considered 'Free and Democratic'.
Only a Free and Democratic Society has moral authority to legislate in the name and determined interest of each and every individual citizen.
Political Equality is the very foundation of a Free Society.
