The idea of “social equality” and its interpretation in the main ideological paradigms of western political philosophy

Urgency of the research. Integration into the Western legal field, where equality is the most fundamental value, is one of the important steps in bringing our country closer to full membership in the European Union.

Target setting. Focusing exclusively on the legal aspect of the problem, on compliance with the law, should not hide the fact that the idea of equality is a deeper philosophical problem. Equality as a moral value is culturally determined, depends on the worldview and ideological framework, on one or another paradigm of socio-political thought. The struggle against inequality as injustice for the purpose of affirming human dignity is existential in nature.

Actual scientific researches and issues analysis. In the analysis of the ideas of social equality, inequality and justice through the prism of the main ideological paradigms of political philosophy, we rely on the ideas of the classics of philosophical thought (Plato, Aristotle, J. de Maistre, K. Marx, A. Camus) and on modern theorists of egalitarianism (J. Rawls, J. Pole, H. Phelps Brown, F. Hayek, R. Dworkin, etc.).

The research objective. First, we will consider the different gradations of social equality, and look at the main arguments in favor of equality from the point of view of egalitarianism. Next, we will analyze how the idea of equality is interpreted in three key ideological traditions (paradigms) of Western social and political thought: liberalism, socialism, and conservatism.

The statement of basic materials. The main gradations of social equality are considered, in particular, formal equality, equality of treatment, equality of opportunities, equality of consideration. It is noted that the philosophy of conservatism, as nostalgia for the state system of the ancient regime, denies equality and acts as an apologist for social inequality expressed in the idea of natural aristocracy. The philosophy of liberalism focuses attention on the formal aspects of equality before the law and political equality. Liberalism is based on the idea of meritocracy, where the equality of starting opportunities allows us to reveal the inequality of human potential. If the tradition of liberalism is characterized by a combination of the ideas of equality and individualism, then for socialism equality is necessarily connected with the idea of the dominance of the collective over the individual. The highest non-ideological gradation of equality is equality of consideration, which can also be called the ontological equality of all people.

Conclusions. Certain gradations of social equality have been established, which are stages of gradual overcoming of inequality. Formal “equality before the law” based on the principle of like for like, equality of opportunities and equality of consideration were considered. It is noted that the philosophy of conservatism is characterized by a zero degree of equality, the philosophy of liberalism is characterized by a reliance on formal equality and equality of opportunities, and the philosophy of socialism is characterized by an understanding of social equality as equality of outcomes. As for equality of treatment, it can be considered a non-ideological characteristic.