ABSTRACT
Equality is a protean word. It is one of those political symbols—liberty and fraternity are others—into which men have poured the deepest urgings of their hearts. Of the many conceptions of equality that have emerged over time, the one that today enjoys the most popularity is equality of opportunity. The formula has few enemies—politicians, businessmen, social theorists, and freedom marchers all approve it—and it is rarely subjected to intellectual challenge. The doctrine of equal opportunity removes the question of how men should be treated from the realm of human responsibility and returns it to "nature". The doctrine of equality of opportunity is the product of a competitive and fragmented society, a divided society, a society in which individualism, in Alexis de Tocqueville's sense of the word, is the reigning ethical principle. The equality-of-opportunity principle implies the equal right of each member to share in the political life of the community to the fullest extent of his interest and ability.
