Slouching Toward Inequality

Abstract

If by social equality is meant: a relatively equal distribution of goods, material and immaterial, in a society; then the ends of social equality must be rethought. Since the world revolution of 1968 and its consummation in the collapse of the post World War II geopolitical, Cold War accords in 1989-1991, all prior liberal theories of the modern national society as one in which social equality could a viable ideal if not a practical reality have fallen on hard times. When, thereafter, globalization began to tear at the political flesh of the national state, social equality was thrown into the chaos of global inequalities. More than a quarter century later, well into the 2010s, global income, wealth, and health measures of inequality have proven resistant to the considerable, if often misguided, efforts of International NGOs to reduce the terrible plight of the many global poor relative to the obscene wealth of the 1% most wealthy. Unless global capitalism changes how does its business the norm of social equality will slouch further toward a Bethlehem of permanent inequality.