The vagaries of equality

ALL men are created equal — that is one of the founding fictions of modern polity. It is the fact of inequality however that is undeniable. People are physically born with unequal endowments and still, more pronouncedly, with unequal intellectual capabilities.

Economically, the disparity is even worse, and politically, the fundamental datum is that some have power, others do not — and that is taking things only within the legal framework. Outside the order established by law, it is even worse: some have the capability to shape legislation either by winning seats in the legislature, by lobbying or by bribing legislators. Others have the capacity to sway judges and judgments by means fair and foul.