Equality In America By James Bryce

The American Commonwealth, James Bryce talks about equality in America when he visited the united States in the asses. Bryce provides his own view of the different equalities that all Americans possess. He states that in America, equalities are present as listed: legal equality, material conditions-wealth, education and intelligence, social status, and estimation. Legal equality is that all are equal under the law whereas material condition equality means that everyone has equal wealth.

Educational and Intellectual equality means that everyone has equal Intellect and equal education. Social status equality means that no one is socially higher or lower than another. And finally, equality of estimation is the value which men set upon each other. Out of all of these types of equalities the three that Bryce list that all Americans have are wealth, education, position. Brace’s listing of wealth, education, and position as American equalities brings up a valid position on whether or not America had actually possessed these equalities.

In all honesty, It’s all how It’s perceived by different people that determine equality. Did all Americans have equal wealth, education, and position back in the late asses? Well, compared to most countries America was a land full of equality. I don’t necessarily believe that these views of equality were as glorious as Bryce had perceived them to be, however seeing that he came from Britain- a land of big inequalities between those of upper, middle and lower class- America was seen as a land with greater equal opportunity.

As this was written during the Gilded Age, Americans all lived In salary lifestyles as barnacles powered through the Industrial revolution. People worked mostly for big industries receiving little pay, little to no education and the same position as the country labor force therefore they were all equal. In today’s world, without the fact that America is no longer the major industrial power it was one was, these equalities of education, position, and wealth still exist and can even be taken further In depth.

Now everyone is entitled to equal wealth, education, and position but they determine their own equality. For example, two people share the same type of position as everyday citizens with the same type of education and the same wealth. One person decides to go to college and becomes a politician after he graduates while the other person goes out and parties. They both had the same equalities at one point in their lives but it was when they decided to either expand or hinder themselves that truly determined their equality.

A student an attend a high rated school and could care less about education as well as a student who can attend an average public school and become the top of their class. Even Americans chose their own position in life, they can decide to be the owner of a multimillion dollar company or be a manager at McDonald’s. All these things are available to all Americans as long as they are willing to want and work for these things. Americans will always be granted the same equalities of wealth, education, and position but they get to choose their own wealth, education, and position.