The Anatomy of Farm Incomes and their Distribution

Equality is an elusive notion about which reasonable men can disagree. This disagreement can stem from different ethical beliefs, the imprecise use of language or a failure to allow evidence to modify belief. In order to separate out areas of possible agreement and disagreement it is helpful, as Lord Robbins has suggested, to distinguish between the three main aspects of equality.1 These are equality before the law, equality of opportunity and equality of income and wealth. The first is probably the only aspect of equality about which there is wide agreement on its desirability as a precisely defined social objective — that is, exactly the same treatment for all, for rich or poor, for exalted or lowly.