A seemingly never-ending question.
Human equality is a universal (Natural Law) concept, and it is the only unshakable justification for political freedom. Because we are equal as human beings, we are each entitled to an equal voice in the government over us. Political freedom, if you will.
If humans are not equal, then dictatorship of the superior persons over the inferiors is justifiable. Those who plead the cause of freedom but reject human equality actually plead a different cause: consciously or unconsciously, they defend preferential status and a license to exploit others.
As seen in the responses to Humphrey’s questionnaire, equality is something deeper than logic; it is an irressible feeling in each person. The disregard of the human-equality/political-freedom principle on any grounds will cause problems, just as it did in 1776.
– paraphrased from pg 46, VFNM
So if all this is a repeat of 200 years ago, the question of “What is Human Equality” still remained. Dr. Humprey figured that the best way to find the answer was to ask for assistance from a few well respected institutions he was affiliated with.
He wrote back to his scholarly colleagues around Harvard, MIT, and the Fletcher School of Diplomacy. Replies included comments about “equality of opportunity” and “equality under the law.” The American GIs and host-nationals laughed at those ideas as “intellectual suicide.” A simple glance at the circumstances and one could see why.
The Declaration of Independence
Going back to what one could argue is one of the most foundational literary works that our country is based on, are “all men created equal” or not? According to that group of “higher ups” the answer is no.
A religious person might say that, “Yes, we are all equal because we are all created in the image of God” or perhaps, “Yes, because we are all God’s children” or perhaps, “We are equal because God loves us all and His love and value of our lives gives them worth.” But not all religions agree so we have to step beyond even that.
A lawyer might state “equality in the eyes of the law” but isn’t that, in some ways, communism at its best? Don’t forget that there was also a misunderstanding of human equality versus economic equality with regard to this as well. The list could go on.
Mission: Impossible
Days went by, then months. Dr. Humphrey found no answers, but he did clarify the issue into two crucial questions:
1. How does one teach equality?
2. What, exactly, does human equality mean?
He eventually found himself going on a few hunting trips, and it was on one of these trips that the answer came from a very unexpected source.
Read about The Hunting Trip next.