Equality and Conflict

Abstract

The pursuit of equality is likely to be frustrated unless there is better knowledge about the processes in society which increase or diminish it. There are severe conceptual difficulties in defining inequality; ultimately, they always in volve some sort of evaluation, especially in regard to those social variables which are subject to strong evaluation, such as status, income and virtue. Equality must be defined in dynamic, whole-life terms. Cross-sectional measures at a moment of time are extremely misleading. If all young people were poor and all old people were rich, society would look very unequal; however, everyone might have equal income over their whole life. The major dynamic process which pro duces inequality is inheritance not only of capital, but of culture and status. Inheritance laws and the grants economy, especially the tax system, are important in the dynamics of equality. Historically, much inequality is created by con quest and revolution. What tends to produce equality is a rise of integrative power—that is, the development of an extended and intense sense of community. This is most visible in the national state. World equality depends on the develop ment of a sense of world community.