Compulsory Mediocrity

While reading in The Conservative Mind over my coffee this morning, I was struck by the following passage from Southern Conservative leader John C. Calhoun's Disquisition On Government, as well as Kirk's initial commentary:

(Kirk)"Liberty and complete equality, far from being inseparable, are incompatible, if by pure equality is meant equality of condition. For progress, moral and material, is derived from inequality of condition; and without progress, liberty decays:

'Now, as individuals differ greatly from each other, in intelligence, sagacity, energy, perseverance, skill, habit of industry and economy, physical power, position and opportunity — the necessary effect of leaving all free to exert themselves to better their condition, must be a corresponding inequality between those who may possess these qualities and advantages in a high degree, and those who may be deficient in them. The only means by which this result can be prevented are, either to impose such restrictions on the exertions of those who may possess them in a high degree, as will place them on a level with those who do not; or to deprive them of the fruits of their exertions. But to impose such restrictions on them would be destructive of liberty — while, to deprive them of the fruits of their exertions, could be to destroy the desire of bettering their condition. It is, indeed, his inequality of condition between the front and rear ranks, in the march of progress, which gives so strong an impulse to the former to maintain their position, and to the latter to press forward into their files. This gives to progress its greatest impulse. To force the front rank back to the rear, or attempt to push forward the rear into line with the front, by the interposition of the government, would put an end to the impulse, and effectually arrest the march of progress.'"

This truth is so concretely illustrated in the compulsory "equality of condition" required by our society. As a child in the public school system, I was refused the opportunity to progress beyond standardized grade level in my reading skills, and sent to the computer to play games so as not to injure any other children's "self esteem". Culture insists upon the equal value of all religious belief, and in doing so declares them all void. Government taxes the rich and distributes it to the poor, resulting in an impetusless lowerclass, and a resentful upperclass less inclined to generosity and compassion. Small, diverse businesses are smothered by prohibitive, standardized regulations instituted in the name of "equality of condition". Ideas have consequences.

Contrast this picture with the biblical injunction " Do you see and man who excels in his work, he will stand before kings, he will not stand before unknown men." Tangible excellence and faithfulness in any circumstance will always yield sweeter fruit than compulsory mediocrity.