Comprehension : Comprehension

Q 146 / 466

UPSC CSE Prelims 2021

Inequality violates a basic democratic norm: the equal standing of citizens. Equality is a relation that obtains between persons in respect of some fundamental characteristic that they share in common. Equality is, morally speaking, a default principle. Therefore, persons should not be discriminated on grounds such as race, caste, gender, ethnicity, disability, or class. These features of human condition are morally irrelevant. The idea that one should treat persons with respect not only because some of these persons possess some special features or talent, for example skilled cricketers, gifted musicians, or literary giants, but because persons are human beings, is by now part of common-sense morality.

With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
  1. Equality is a prerequisite for people to participate in the multiple transactions of society from a position of confidence.
  2. Occurrence of inequality is detrimental to the survival of democracy.
  3. Equal standing of all citizens is an idea that cannot actually be realised even in a democracy.
  4. Right to equality should be incorporated into our values and day-to-day political vocabulary.

Which of the above assumptions are valid?

EXPLANATION

Correct Option (A)

The passage posits that inequality fundamentally contravenes the democratic principle of equal citizenship. It asserts that equality serves as a default moral principle, necessitating non-discrimination based on characteristics such as race, caste, or gender, which are deemed morally irrelevant. The passage emphasizes that respect is due to all individuals simply by virtue of their humanity, not merely for exceptional talents.

  • Statement 1 is a valid assumption. The passage highlights "equal standing of citizens" as a basic democratic norm. When citizens possess equal standing, they are inherently enabled to participate in societal interactions with confidence, as they are not subject to discrimination based on morally irrelevant attributes. This confidence is a prerequisite for meaningful engagement in a democratic society.
  • Statement 2 is a valid assumption. The passage explicitly states that "Inequality violates a basic democratic norm: the equal standing of citizens." A violation of a fundamental norm is inherently detrimental to the proper functioning and, by extension, the survival of the system it underpins, which in this context is democracy.

Incorrect Options:

  • Statement 3 is not a valid assumption. The passage advocates for equality as a "default principle" and a "basic democratic norm," implying that it is an ideal to be pursued and realized within a democracy. It does not suggest that equal standing is an unattainable concept.
  • Statement 4 is not a valid assumption. While the passage strongly argues for the moral and democratic imperative of equality, framing it as a "default principle" and part of "common-sense morality," it does not explicitly state or assume that the "right to equality should be incorporated into our values and day-to-day political vocabulary." The passage focuses on the inherent moral and democratic necessity of equality rather than its specific linguistic or political integration.