Egalitarianism and Its Metamorphosis into ‘Easy Morality’

Abstract

This article addresses a critique of contemporary egalitarianism that, while certainly present, has not been prominent in the relevant literature on equality. Rather than examining internal flaws in the concept of equality itself, it asks whether the dominant form of egalitarianism in current political discourse – particularly within liberal and left-liberal agendas – has become selectively applied in ways that undermine its foundational aims. Specifically, in the paper the claim is made that this contemporary form of egalitarianism: (a) foregrounds peripheral issues over core egalitarian concerns; (b) does so at the expense of addressing the condition of the worst-off; and (c) can be best understood through the lens of ‘easy morality’ – a normative posture marked by minimal personal cost, misaligned ethical priorities (ordo amoris), and broad social approval that masks its limitations. It argues that central egalitarian concerns – such as wealth concentration, global poverty, and middle-class decline – have been sidelined in favour of less demanding but more culturally salient causes. Finally, the paper proposes several hypotheses regarding the socio-cultural and political factors contributing to this shift.