Francis Aznaran
new nation was created without such inequality; a ‘fresh start’. However, it is clear that this ‘experiment in democracy’ has not lived up to its intentions. The USA is today the most unequal developed nation in the world. The American Dream, along with the fantastical stories of Horatio Alger, have largely failed. Lastly, to political inequality. In ancient Athens, the world’s first democracy, all had equal voting power. Since most citizens were ordinary workers, they held sway, that is to say, it is justifiable that they had more political power simply because there were more of them. In modern times, we see, for example, that Rupert Murdoch does not have British citizenship and therefore cannot vote here, but
he effectively has many thousands who can and will vote for him by the influence of his media empire. Political power of this sort cannot be justified because it is concentrated in one individual; not that there are more of him, but because he has financial power. Such individuals operate almost solely under the needs of themselves and those around them, without regard to those many millions whom the political power affects. To conclude, I would say inequality can be justified but only when it is as a result of natural inequalities (which cannot be avoided) or when it does not directly harm another. Inequality cannot be justified if it does not in some way benefit the society which it otherwise affects.
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