What's more important to you - equality or liberty? Why?

Question

Seriously... Please think about it a minute before you answer.

Equality and liberty aren't actually the same though....

Answer 1

Liberty is the more important as without freedom nothing else matters and equality will be impossible. If all men were ever born equal then they never stayed that way long nor will they.People are all different with different abilities some will always do better than others and to stop them you would have to infringe upon their liberty. The two are closely tied to one another but we could all find equality in Cuba but being as poor as the guy next door and having as little opportunity to escape it as him does not appeal to me. To sum up here's a few of my favourite quotes on the subject as I need to exercise my democratic right to get back to work.Bugger. The Declaration of Arbroath (end of)
...for, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom – for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself. - The Declaration of Arbroath (end of)

Quote:Author: Burns, Robert

Scots, wha hae wi’ Wallace bled,
Scots, wham Bruce has aften led,
Welcome to your gory bed,
Or to victory.

Quote:Author: Henry, Patrick
I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death.

Answer 2

You cannot have true liberty without equality. Unless everyone has the same rights, then there is no true liberty.

But if the choice is between liberty for you, and liberty for nobody, then I would expect any rational person to choose liberty for themselves as better than the alternative. At least that gives you the option of doing something about the other problem

Answer 3

I don't believe they are the same. I am afforded the same liberties as most, but because I am a woman, I'm not always considered equal. But I am protected by the same laws, and enjoy the same rights (right to vote, right to drive, and the right to speak) as men. So, I may not get paid the same as a man doing the same job and some ignorant men may call me babe occasionally. I would take liberty over equality every day.

Answer 4

Liberty, by far. People are not equal, the notion of equality has been bastardized. I am not saying any race/creed/religion/nationality/etc is superior to another, but individuals are not equal and it can be changed. At least in reality it can not, useless programs can make things appear "equal" on paper, but nothing changes. I feel PC equality is the most dangerous, as it takes away the desire to better ones self. Is equality similar to socialism? and with socialism there is no liberty (not that we truly have any now).

Answer 5

I am going to say Liberty.

Though I can not say for sure in the few moments I took to think about this. I do think that equality has been taken too far. I think that we are trying so hard to make everyone "equal" that things are just becoming unbalanced in other ways. I mean heaven forbid you offend someone by speaking of God but offending a Christian is almost welcomed. Also, I am white and was discriminated against by a black woman the HR department at my company wouldn't even listen to me but if things would have been the other way around I probably would have been fired and sued.

Answer 6

I say liberty, because we are not all equal and never will be. Given the same opportunities some will suceed where others fail. It is important that we have the liberty to try however. It is important that we are afforded the opportunity, but that doesn't mean if your family is able to send you to a college such as Harvard and mine are not, that I should be allowed to go. We do not deserve a free ride, but we do deserve the opportunity to better ourselves according to our own means and abilities......

Answer 7

It's a hard question. But I think LIBERTY. With liberty I can aspire to be not only equal, but to go beyond what I was born as.

Answer 8

one in the same.
If I, and everyone else, has freedom (liberty) then we are all equal. Whther or not someone wants to use their freedom for the same thing as I do is up to them. But we are both free, and equal. Now, equality could mean the right to a fair trial. SOmeone in a wheelchair needs provisions to get into the building, to give them access to the fair trial, so we have to work to give them that freedom, for the sake of equality. Just one example

Answer 9

Equality simply means to have equal rights. Physical and intellectual capabilities of individuals may not be equal. But people should have equal rights and should not be discriminated against on the factors that are beyond their control like caste or race, I am doubtful about creed, but whatever ideas they hold if they are not violent or incite violence then its okay with me.

Liberty is much more than equality. It means freedom of thought (freedom from prejudice), freedom of expression (without unnecessarily hurting the feelings of others) and freedom to act as one wishes (without harming others).

Answer 10

Equal liberty. I also believe the government has an obligation to help people who can't make a living. This by no means implies financial equality... but if the government can't help us receive medical care when we're sick, or food when we're hungry, or even guarantee equal rights, then we Don't Need It.