Economic Opportunity

by Herbert I. London
September 27, 2010 at 4:30 am

http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/1565/economic-opportunity

Economic opportunity is something everyone believes is essential, but its forms are variegated; it is not always quite what it seems.

For many egalitarians, opportunity should result in similar outcomes. Yet, equal opportunity is not – and cannot – lead to equal results. If it did, everyone would be crossing the "finish line" at the same time.

One thing standing in the way of economic egalitarianism is individual liberty: as long as people are free to pursue their goals, not all of which are purely economic, equality cannot be achieved; therefore the Utopian idea of equality belongs to fiction, not to fact.

Opportunity enters the economic equation as an attempt to modify the obvious differences in performance borne of many factors, including individualism. Societies cannot mandate equality; and biology also militates against social engineering. But one can at least attempt to create a similar "starting line."

The road to social cohesion is paved with the building blocks for opportunity, particularly in offering every person an education. While some will be able to take advantage of this opportunity, others will not. Those who do not, however, cannot claim that the government is unfair or the social order inequitable.

While education is the sine qua non for success, it is by no means the only way to achieve it. Microloans provided by the government can serve as a catalyst for poor people eager to start businesses. Giving people title to their home, even a shanty, can also provide an incentive for the generation of wealth.

As a major component of the American dream is education, there are schools in the United States for everyone and colleges for everyone, even for people who probably should not be in college.. If, however, you miss out on higher education the first time, there are second, and even third chances.

The most any civilization can do to level the playing field is to offer a wealth of educational opportunities, whether they be rudimentary, vocational or higher education.. The person who cannot read is handicapped for life; in the modern age, the person who cannot negotiate the world of cyberspace will be limited as well.

While the Declaration of Independence notes that "All men are created equal," they are not all endowed with the same talents or abilities - or born into families that can provide the same opportunities. Great societies, however, can – and do -- provide opportunities; and, in the process, allow dreams to be realized.

Stifling dreams involves stifling progress. For those places with rigid class barriers and immovable hierarchical structures, tomorrow can only be seen from the rear view mirror. For those nations that offer opportunity, and the chance for the imagination to soar, tomorrow can be seen as a golden future.

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