--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everyone has an equal right to inequality." description: "\"Everyone has an equal right to inequality.\" — John Ralston Saul" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb8/john-ralston-saul-3128_equal_everyone-has-an-equal-right-to-inequalit_761900.jpg" --- # Everyone has an equal right to inequality. ![“Everyone has an equal right to inequality.” quote by John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb8/john-ralston-saul-3128_equal_everyone-has-an-equal-right-to-inequalit_761900.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb8/john-ralston-saul-3128_equal_everyone-has-an-equal-right-to-inequalit_761900.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb8/john-ralston-saul-3128_equal_everyone-has-an-equal-right-to-inequalit_761900.jpg) > “Everyone has an equal right to inequality.” [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stating that everyone has equal rights to inequality highlights a paradox in liberty and fairness. **In simple terms:** Equality of rights can coexist with inequality. Key Takeaway Question systemic unfairness. Themes politics ethics justice Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - policy debates - educational curricula - activist movements Key Concepts social inequality human rights Questions to Reflect On - What does “right to inequality” mean to you? - How can societies balance freedom with fairness? A Different Perspective Equality of rights does not guarantee equal outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Inequality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inequality/) ## Related quotes > [The true foundation of republican government is the equal right of every citizen in his person and property and in their management.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-true-foundation-of-republican-government-is-the-equal-right-of/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Every man has an equal right to the necessaries of life even as birds and beasts have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/every-man-has-an-equal-right-to-the-necessaries-of-life-even-as-birds/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The equal right of all citizens to health, education, work, food, security, culture, science, and wellbeing - that is, the same rights we proclaimed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fidel-castro/the-equal-right-of-all-citizens-to-health-education-work-food/) [Fidel Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fidel-castro/) > [Whatever you want in life, other people are going to want it too. Believe in yourself enough to accept the idea that you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-sawyer/whatever-you-want-in-life-other-people-are-going-to-want-it-too/) [Diane Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-sawyer/) > [No one in this country is created equal, our wages prove it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-amorelli/no-one-in-this-country-is-created-equal-our-wages-prove-it/) [Jennifer Amorelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-amorelli/) > [Thus it is thought that justice is equality; and so it is, but not for all persons, only for those that are equal. Inequality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/thus-it-is-thought-that-justice-is-equality-and-so-it-is-but-not-for/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [“If we want truth and justice to rule our global village, there must be no hypocrisy. If there is no truth, then there will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/if-we-want-truth-and-justice-to-rule-our-global-village-there-must-be/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [All men have an equal right to the free development of their faculties; they have an equal right to the impartial protection of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-cousin/all-men-have-an-equal-right-to-the-free-development-of-their-3/) [Victor Cousin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-cousin/) > [Every relationship requires equal efforts by both parties,equal right to be loved and cared for, equal responsibility to love and care for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-relationship-requires-equal-efforts-by-both-parties-equal-right/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Woman in the companion of man, gifted with equal mental capacities. She has the right to participate in the minutest details in the activities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/woman-in-the-companion-of-man-gifted-with-equal-mental-capacities-she/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Our sexuality is fundamental to who we are, surely the crux of this debate is whether or not we accord equal right and respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wollaston/our-sexuality-is-fundamental-to-who-we-are-surely-the-crux-of-this/) [Sarah Wollaston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wollaston/) > [All men are created equal and have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/all-men-are-created-equal-and-have-the-right-to-life-liberty-and-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [All men have an equal right to the free development of their faculties ; they have an equal right to the impartial protection of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-cousin/all-men-have-an-equal-right-to-the-free-development-of-their-2/) [Victor Cousin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-cousin/) > [All men have an equal right to the free development of their faculties; they have an equal right to the impartial protection of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-cousin/all-men-have-an-equal-right-to-the-free-development-of-their/) [Victor Cousin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-cousin/) > [All men by nature are equal in that equal right that every man hath to his natural freedom, without being subjected to the will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/all-men-by-nature-are-equal-in-that-equal-right-that-every-man-hath/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) ## More by John Ralston Saul > [Of course, corporations and governments have a right to something for their money. They pay the wages. But they don't have the ethical right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/of-course-corporations-and-governments-have-a-right-to-something-for/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [Some people don't like the 'comeback' because that suggests they went somewhere, which they didn't. That isn't what I mean. In my mind, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/some-people-don-t-like-the-comeback-because-that-suggests-they-went/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [In the humanist ideal, the mainstream is where interesting debate, the generating of new ideas and creativity take place. In rational society this mainstream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/in-the-humanist-ideal-the-mainstream-is-where-interesting-debate-the/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [There's two ways of dealing with fears of mortality. One of them is to hide, so every day you wear the same suit and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/there-s-two-ways-of-dealing-with-fears-of-mortality-one-of-them-is-to/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [A foreigner is an individual who is considered either comic or sinister. When the victim of a disaster - preferably natural but sometimes political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/a-foreigner-is-an-individual-who-is-considered-either-comic-or/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [Rights are a protection from society. But only by fulfilling their obligations to society can the individual give meaning to that protection. (V -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/rights-are-a-protection-from-society-but-only-by-fulfilling-their/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [All the lessons of psychiatry, psychology, social work, indeed culture, have taught us over the last hundred years that it is the acceptance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/all-the-lessons-of-psychiatry-psychology-social-work-indeed-culture/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [The neo-conservatives, who are closely linked to the neo-corporatists, are rather different. They claim to be conservatives, when everything they stand for is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/the-neo-conservatives-who-are-closely-linked-to-the-neo-corporatists/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [Armaments; extremely useful for fighting wars, a deadweight in any civil economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/armaments-extremely-useful-for-fighting-wars-a-deadweight-in-any/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [In the European tradition, rivers are seen as divisions between peoples. But in the Aboriginal tradition, rivers are seen as the glue, the highway,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/in-the-european-tradition-rivers-are-seen-as-divisions-between/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [“Basic technical training is, of course, useful. But to treat it as anything more than that is to lock students into technology that will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/basic-technical-training-is-of-course-useful-but-to-treat-it-as/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [Bankers - pillars of society who are going to hell if there is a God and He has been accurately quoted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/bankers-pillars-of-society-who-are-going-to-hell-if-there-is-a-god/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [If allowed to run free of the social system, capitalism will attempt to corrupt and undermine democracy, which is after all not a natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/if-allowed-to-run-free-of-the-social-system-capitalism-will-attempt/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [For about 125 years, give or take, the Canadian government has acted extremely badly - even in a way which should be called evil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/for-about-125-years-give-or-take-the-canadian-government-has-acted/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [Ten geographers who think the world is flat will tend to reinforce each other's errors ... Only a sailor can set them straight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/ten-geographers-who-think-the-world-is-flat-will-tend-to-reinforce/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) [Explore all 139 John Ralston Saul quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) ## More Equal quotes > [For many, the call to be a Christian can seem demanding, even overwhelming. But we need not be afraid or feel inadequate. The Savior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-hales/for-many-the-call-to-be-a-christian-can-seem-demanding-even/) [Robert D. Hales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-hales/) > [Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/do-not-pray-for-tasks-equal-to-your-powers-pray-for-powers-equal-to/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [This, at last, was where things were as they ought to be. Everything was in its place -- the tree, the earth underneath, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-liedloff/this-at-last-was-where-things-were-as-they-ought-to-be-everything-was/) [Jean Liedloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-liedloff/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [Only to have a grief equal to all these tears!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/only-to-have-a-grief-equal-to-all-these-tears/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [My mom and dad had the relationship that I want, and they were teammates. They were always equal 50/50.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-kufrin/my-mom-and-dad-had-the-relationship-that-i-want-and-they-were/) [Becca Kufrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-kufrin/) > [Faith and unfaith can ne'er be equal powers; Unfaith is aught is want of faith in all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/faith-and-unfaith-can-ne-er-be-equal-powers-unfaith-is-aught-is-want/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [If it is true that there is always more than one way of construing a text, it is not true that all interpretations are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ricoeur/if-it-is-true-that-there-is-always-more-than-one-way-of-construing-a/) [Paul Ricoeur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ricoeur/) > [There is usually no dreamer so unworldly as the anthologist. He wanders in a vast garden, lost in wonder, unable to decide often between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-webb/there-is-usually-no-dreamer-so-unworldly-as-the-anthologist-he/) [Mary Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-webb/) > [I can tell you this. It is not going to be evenly constituted and when she was Speaker Pelosi, she certainly showed no interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-gowdy/i-can-tell-you-this-it-is-not-going-to-be-evenly-constituted-and-when/) [Trey Gowdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-gowdy/) > [It concerns me when people frame the conversation about equal pay about the entertainment business. I don't want the wage gap issue to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/it-concerns-me-when-people-frame-the-conversation-about-equal-pay/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) Browse all 4,126 Equal quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Everyone has an equal right to inequality.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Ralston Saul" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/everyone-has-an-equal-right-to-inequality/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Equal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/everyone-has-an-equal-right-to-inequality/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb8/john-ralston-saul-3128_equal_everyone-has-an-equal-right-to-inequalit_761900.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb8/john-ralston-saul-3128_equal_everyone-has-an-equal-right-to-inequalit_761900.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb8/john-ralston-saul-3128_equal_everyone-has-an-equal-right-to-inequalit_761900.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Everyone has an equal right to inequality.” — John Ralston Saul", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Ralston Saul", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Everyone has an equal right to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/everyone-has-an-equal-right-to-inequality/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/everyone-has-an-equal-right-to-inequality/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```