In recent years, there has been growing interest in the relationship between equality and personal achievement. Some people believe that individuals can achieve more in egalitarian societies. Others believe that high levels of personal achievement are possible only if individuals are free to succeed or fail according to their individual merits. Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.

In recent decades, there is reported to have been a considerable debate on whether or not individual achievement is greater in egalitarian or more hierarchical societies. In my opinion, despite the benefits of egalitarianism as a political principle, it should not be pursued as a social ideal. Those who argue egalitarian societies are better for achievement point out the benefits of

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opportunity. The most well-known examples of

this

are in socialist nations in Europe like France where income disparity is less pronounced than in more capitalist countries. In

such

liberal countries, a person can receive a good education, secure stable employment, receive unemployment benefits in the case of an economic downturn, and support the rest of

society

by paying high taxes. Being part of

such

a community is itself a motivation for individuals to perform well at work and pursue life goals.

This

is especially the case as a person will not have to feel anxious about the possibility of being left behind by

society

at large. I would contend that when conditions are generally equal individuals should

then

be permitted to compete without considerable governmental regulation. The standout example of

this

situation would be in the United States.

Although

there are more problems related to income inequality, there is

also

greater innovation across a variety of sectors. One cause of

this

is that individuals are motivated by the desire to excel and earn the financial rewards that accompany success. A person is

therefore

encouraged to attain their own definition of success or they might be forced to live *on the fringes of

society

. In conclusion, though there is a cruel element to competition, it is the best way to encourage innovation and growth in an individual and

society

as a whole. Naturally,

such

an approach is only possible when systemic problems related to discrimination have first been eliminated.