Political Equality

In a democratic society, political equality normally means granting equal citizenship to every member of the state. Equal citizenship brings with it certain basic rights that are considered necessary for people to develop themselves and to take part in the affairs of the state — the right to vote, freedom of expression, freedom of movement and association, and freedom of belief. These rights are not just informal expectations; they are legal rights, guaranteed by the constitution and protected by law.

However, even where every citizen holds exactly the same formal, legal rights, real and considerable inequality can still exist. This is usually the result of differences in the resources and opportunities that are actually available to different citizens in the social and economic spheres of life — one citizen's formally equal right to, say, contest an election or start a business, means very little if they lack the money, education or social connections that another citizen already has. This is exactly why there is often a demand for "equal opportunities" or "a level playing field" alongside legal equality. Political and …