Geneva, July 2022
Equitism is the political, social, and economic ideology promoting access to fundamental human rights for present and future generations. The right to Equity encapsulates the idea that no group should have less power or fewer benefits or rights than any other group, whether by race, geography, gender, age, ability, religion or any other qualifying trait.
Despite enjoying an age of unprecedented global prosperity, discrimination and inequity among world groups strain the planet and humanity's future, and nothing short of of a radical change in global mindset and policy will alter the course. We seek to create an Equitist Revolution of perception and understanding of what global equity could look like and the actions required to pursue that goal and make it a reality.
The times we live in
In today's world, the fabric of society is increasingly frail.
In the last decade, the fabric of global society has experienced formidable tensions. Political pressure from rising populism and authoritarianism, increasingly aggressive conflict between social groups fed by disruptive media, and a flawed, unfair global economy are set against a backdrop of steadily advancing climate change.
Democracy, the historically safe haven from the infringement of fundamental rights, is in question as a viable world system. When the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of global cooperation, the lack of coordination and transparency worldwide was devastating. The massive inequalities in response between and within countries, both wealthy and struggling, illustrate the need for a new approach to global issues and economics, with understanding and respect for all social groups strengthening the social fabric across the planet.
Societal and institutional tensions are coupled with environmental short circuits as human activity alters the face of the earth with no regard to long-term effects. The natural world is unable and unwilling to cope with human exploitation of resources, and consequences are already apparent across the globe. Extreme weather phenomena have skyrocketed in the new millennium, sea levels are rising, the oceans are warming, and the risk of displacement and mass extinction for several animal species, including human beings, is very real.
As these troubling issues unfold, amazing technical opportunities are on the rise. Space exploration will enable humans to live in space in a matter of years, and the ability to work remotely and provide services from every corner of the planet through technological development is roaring ahead. The possibilities unfolding for humankind are countless but affect different groups disproportionately worldwide.
As tragedies impact those already suffering, opportunities are overwhelmingly seized by those with monetary assets and social advantages. Basic concepts of equality, fairness, and solidarity cannot be upheld when the fiercest competition for assets and resources is championed by those already doing well. The blinding injustice of these times - in an age where prosperity is abundant, but its distribution is not - is causing the cracks in the system: job dropouts, voting abstention, and unprecedented moves like the assault on the U.S. Capitol are just the symptoms of a broader crisis. Toxic polarization and weakened trust in what binds society together are rapidly following.
Out of every crisis comes change. Humanity is at a turning point. A new vision of society is needed to shift the direction of our times radically.
Individuals
Equitism demands that individuals must constantly be provided an equitable footing and the possibility to pursue their dreams throughout their lives while contributing to the overall prosperity of their community. No individual is born the same. While people are equal in value, we are all different. Equitists understand that and seek to address inequities constantly.
Equitists believe that one’s life must not be determined nor valued differently by characteristics such as gender, sex, skin color, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, health, religion/faith, age, geographical location, nationality, socio-economic background, but by their character, the power of their convictions, by their aspirations, values, and desires.
Equitists stand for the protection and promotion of freedoms and rights, including and not limited to freedom of speech, freedom of movement, political freedom, freedom to love, rights of privacy, access to the internet, rights to own one’s digital identity and data, rights to express one’s sexuality and identity, rights to terminate an unwanted pregnancy and have autonomy over one’s own body, and the freedom to alleviate one’s suffering and terminal illness. No construct or government should ever justify a restriction to one’s access to these rights.
Equitists put the highest value on providing each human being with the tools needed to achieve their own path, without dogmatic rigidity but with freedom of choice. Individuals must also have access to reliable and free information to ensure that all members of society can exercise their judgment. Only then can every person create a well-informed opinion on past and current issues and, as such, fully grasp the future and the implications that today’s actions might have on it.
Equitists demand that all individuals must have access to basic services, such as clean, safe water, food, housing, healthcare, education, and social safety nets. In an era in which wealth and material goods can satisfy all needs of living beings, Equitists unequivocally reject poverty and material deprivation. There is no justification for any person to have their basic needs denied because of the flawed design of human societies.
Society
Equitism rejects the idea of separateness and borders and believes that today’s societies do not have to be organized in secluded territories that monopolize lands and resources, furthering nationalistic or regionalist discourses. In today’s modern and global world, the creation of a transnational, democratic government to provide each human with the same political rights and to strengthen the political decision power of people shall be advanced.
Equitists vigorously support the preservation and enhancement of the environment, as humans are an integral part of the natural world, not their ruler, and can only thrive as part of a healthy planet. As such, Equitists work to ensure that the impact of human societies on the environment is neither negative nor null but positive. Equitists are committed to the well-being of the natural world.
Equitists rebuke wars, conflicts, and acts of aggression due to the harm and suffering they cause. While self-defense might be used when needed and the responsibility to protect from mass atrocities may require a limited utilization of military power, a priority must be to substantially decrease defense investments in times of peace. The abolition of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction must be enacted by all parties.
Equitists put the highest value on the utilization of technology to ensure a level playing field in all human activities, including educational, medical, social, and others, for all individuals. Ethical technological advancements are fundamental and must be available to the many, not controlled by a small group of individuals.
Equitists take on the commitment to always seek progress, always question the known, and seek to discover the unknown. They commit to using technological advancement to better society and bring it to unprecedented heights. As an example, equitists advocate for space travel and exploration to be performed outside of current flawed human constructs while embracing equity, freedom, unity, and respect to be offered to other groups of beings encountered in the quest for new life, if ever successful.
The State and the Economy
An Equitist state must regulate and steer society to achieve the closest result to an equitable status in order to bring the maximum level of happiness and wellbeing to its people. The role of the state as a fair arbiter among different groups with competing priorities can only be achieved with the highest level of participation possible by citizens, which means by implementing systems of very highly participatory democracy. Equitists believe that shared leadership shall be privileged over vertical ownership to mitigate human flaws and include a variety of views of society. To favor stability and the ability to propagate significant social and economic planning, executive mandates could last longer than in current democracies but be limited to one mandate to ensure that the priority of those governing is the public one.
Equistists do not believe that growth is an aim or indicator of an ideal society but that it may be a contributing element if achieved in an equitable & sustainable manner. In countries of the global south, economic growth, if distributed fairly, can be the quickest way to uplift people from poverty. In highly developed territories, human well-being should replace economic growth as a priority of the policy agenda because growth has already leveled off and is decoupled from increasing human well-being.
An Equitist economy thus controls and steers market forces to decrease inequalities among people. The paramount indicators of the health of an Equitist economy are a low level of economic inequalities and high standards of living, provided that this is mostly achieved through the uplifting of those previously disadvantaged. An Equitist economy protects private ownerships of enterprises to foster innovation and entrepreneurship while favoring shared ownerships and partial worker-owned and cooperative models of organizations to increase the pools of views and experiences in the management of enterprises, as well as its beneficiaries. An equitist enterprise has a fair wage distribution in itself, moderating the gap between the lowest-paid laborer and the highest one.
Only when these criteria are met can the status that will bring the highest level of happiness to humankind be achieved.