1821. April 8th

Explanations

Equality

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By equality is here meant - not the utmost conceivable equality, but only

practicable equality. The utmost conceivable equality has place only in the field of

physics: it applies only to weight, measure, time, and thence to motion.

Subsistence, abundance, security - for these three may there is place in the case of

a simple individual: equality in reference to any one of those instruments of

felicity, supposes the existence of individuals more than one: in the case of any

number, it is conceivable will equal these.

The utmost conceivable equality - say absolute equality admits not of degrees:

practicable equality does admit of degrees.

Equality is not itself, as those other three are, an immediate instrument of

felicity: it operates only through the medium of those three: especially through

abundance and security. Of all three taken together, the use, fruit and object, is

felicity, - the maximum of felicity: the greatest happiness of the greatest number:

of this maximum the magnitude is in proportion to equality: to /depends upon/ the

degree of equality that has place in the distribution of /proportions in which/ those

three are distributed.

Apply it first to subsistence: strictly taken means or instruments of subsistence.

Subsistence taken in the strict sense, there is not in this case in a place for

degrees in the scale of equality: for by the supposition no inequality has place in

this case. As contradistinguished from the instruments of abundance, by the means of

subsistence is meant that least quantity of those instruments, which is such that

with any lesser quantity, existence could not have place: no subsistence, no

existence.