Equality of Opportunity and Equality of Outcome

There are two notions of equality that drive different political ideologies. The first is equality of opportunity. An equality of opportunity approach seeks to level the playing field by making the law apply equally to everyone. The second kind of equality is equality of outcomes. Equality of outcomes seeks to ensure that everyone ends up in the same conditions. The two are mutually exclusive to some degree as equality of opportunity implies certain inequality of outcome. Only equality of opportunity is consistent with pure liberty. But, what kind of “equality of opportunity” should we seek in America? And, is the line between the two as clear as one might like to think?

Let’s look at a case study of affirmative action. The issue is obviously complex and some oversimplification will unfortunately be necessary to fit this into a neat little blog post. Racial inequality is measurable by educational indicators, socio-economic circumstances, crime rates, single mothers, and by a number of other sociological gauges. To correct for these inequalities, various affirmative action policies have been put into effect. Affirmative action policies can perhaps be grouped into two primary types. First, there are systematic remedies that seek to level the playing field and make the rules apply to everyone the same. Secondly, there are redistributive policies that seek to open up new opportunities.

What would justify affirmative action? Presumably, most all affirmative action policies would be unjustifiable if racial inequality arises from (1) innate biological inferiority (overwhelming evidence refutes this notion entirely); (2) cultural pathologies that deemphasize hard work, education, etc (some empirical evidence supports this); or (3) voluntary choices to pursue the paths that they do (very unlikely). However, what affirmative action policies are justified if (a) discrimination and stereotypes play a role in keeping a race down (informal barriers) or (b) structural based obstacles like segregation or a lack of family connections work against a race (formal barriers)?

Even libertarians think that structural or systematic obstacles stemming from government’s duplicitous treatment of different races should be abolished. But, to the extent that discrimination (overt and unconscious) still exists, should quotas, recruiting campaigns, or employee support programs be provided to members of a disadvantaged race? Although express quotas in hiring and school admissions are prohibited by law, unspoken redistributions of opportunity in many careers and school admissions are measurable statistically and legal. So, should discrimination be remedied by redistributions of opportunities? Such an approach would be an equality of outcomes approach. 

Affirming a belief in equality of opportunity implies a belief that government should make sure everyone starts off in the same place, not that everyone ends up in the same condition. However, the issue is complicated by the fact that people aren’t born in the same place. Although we are all of equal value in the eyes of our Heavenly Father, some of us are born to poor parents, others to rich parents; some are born in the United States, others in Somalia; some to parents who love one another, others never know one of their parents; etc. The only way to get everyone started off equally would be to institute some Spartan program of community child-rearing and a total prohibition of any gifts whether given inter vivos or after death. However, that just seems inherently wrong and completely inconsistent with freedom.

Should we simply ignore birth inequalities? I am tempted to say that it is better to let mysterious fate distribute opportunity rather than the arbitrary or fleeting preferences of government. But, I don’t think such an extreme view is the only answer to this puzzle.

A certain degree of economic inequality is desirable. Inequality provides rewards for hard work, talent, and achievement. It provides lubricant for social enterprise and progress. However, when inequality becomes too great, it animates pride, exploitation, discontent, and rebellion that cause societal decline. When crafting solutions to inequality, government should not focus on where to strike a balance between inequality and equality. Rather, I think the focus should be on balancing economic mobility with the freedom to bequest good things to our loved ones. That isn’t very precise; but I don’t think precise is possible. The slightest possibility of reaching the top of the Forbes Richest People list in a single lifetime is all that is necessary for proper income mobility in my view. 

I am thus only in favor of redistributive policies to the extent that all people have the minimum necessities of education, food, shelter, medical care, and life guidance to change their own fortunes and achieve unlimited success with the probabilities of economic success (for full-time, committed individuals mid-career) being chartable on a bell curve. With a more virtuous society, the bell curve will shift towards the prosperous; with a society in moral decline will shift towards the poor. But, the possibility to succeed or to lose should always be present. Real freedom can only be present if we are responsible for the consequences of our choices.

Given my acceptance of some forms of redistributive policies, it is worth mentioning that such policies have been egregiously mismanaged. First, the government not only redistributes things that are not the minimum necessities I described, but are actually detrimental to a disadvantaged person's chances of improving his or her situation. People don’t need a T.V. In fact, TVs do more damage than good. Somehow, people on government stipends for poverty, unemployment, etc afford televisions. People don’t need more bedrooms than there are people in their family; yet I see that in my service to those in government subsidized (or furnished) housing.  And, even the things government provides that people do need as minimum necessities are mismanaged on a large scale. Student loans are given in excessive amounts and without any risk assessment. Medicare pays for unnecessary stuff and pays more for the same services when compared to Veteran Affairs. Redundant programs (there are 23 agencies that provide independent and overlapping assistance to former USSR countries, 12 agencies that ensure food safety requirements are met, and the list goes on for a very long time) are the norm. The mismanagement of what should be proper government redistribution and regulation purposes cannot be understated.

I should also say that income mobility is not the most important thing in the world. Even people who end up not able to break through their birth social class can live joyful and meaningful lives. Indeed, the rich are often less happy, probably because they focus too much on money and too little on the more important things of life like faith, family, friends, and developing an honorable and virtuous character. Equality and freedom are instrumental in bringing forth a virtuous society. But, neither is the end in itself. Government policies should reflect that emphasis on virtuous living through freedom and equality rather than freedom and equality at the expense of virtue.