what is egalitarianism 
egalitarianism is a philosophical perspective that emphasizes equality and equal treatment across gender religion economic status and political beliefs egalitarianism may focus on income inequality and distribution which are themes that have influenced the development of various economic and political theories egalitarianism may also look at how individuals are treated under the law karl marx used egalitarianism as the starting point in the creation of his marxist philosophy and john locke considered egalitarianism when he proposed that individuals had natural rights understanding egalitarianismone of the main tenets of egalitarianism is that all people are fundamentally equal everyone should be treated equally and have equal opportunities and access in society no matter their gender race or religion egalitarianism can be examined from a social perspective that considers ways to reduce economic inequalities or a political perspective that considers ways to ensure the equal treatment and rights of diverse groups of people types of egalitarianismphilosophers break down egalitarianism into several types proponents of economic egalitarianism or material egalitarianism believe every member of society should have equal access to wealth and the ability to make money whether that be through investments entrepreneurial efforts or income from employment and that this should translate into everyone having similar levels of income and money this line of thinking forms the basis for marxism and socialism starting a business can be attempted by anyone and represents an opportunity to make money the entrepreneur will typically seek financing and invest the capital in a business enterprise customers meanwhile have an equal opportunity to buy the company s products or services they have an equal choice to respond to the company s prices and quality of goods or services to make an informed decision about a purchase a few things limit economic egalitarianism in a free market society money supply inflation lack of jobs and consumer prices may limit economic activity for people who lack wealth legal constraints also affect economic egalitarianism economic egalitarianism in a free market is the belief that everyone should have an equal opportunity to become wealthy by investing in and supporting entrepreneurship and employment legal egalitarianism is the principle that everyone is subject to the same laws meaning no group has unique legal protections over another moral egalitarianism is the idea that all human beings must have equal respect and concern for everyone else it is the idea that humanity is connected and that everyone deserves human rights of course the definition of equal respect or fairness may vary and depend on individuals making it hard to enforce true egalitarianism people who believe in political egalitarianism espouse democracy demanding that every person has equal standing concerning governmental power political egalitarianism posits that each individual has the same social power or influence over politics in work government and daily life for example principals have the authority over their teachers and staff to make choices for the school and grade however under political egalitarianism every educator at the school would have the same level of authority and power racial egalitarianism is the idea that everyone should have equal respect for one another no matter their race or ethnicity gender egalitarianism believes that men and women no matter their gender are equal and must be treated as such gender egalitarianism supports equal rights roles and responsibilities for men and women it does not support the idea that there is women s work and men s work or gender specific roles in business and the home in a society where there is gender egalitarianism in families parents play equal parts within the family structure 