A political or social belief and movement advocating for equal rights, status, and opportunities for all people regardless of birth, wealth, or other distinctions.
From French égalitaire (advocating equality) + -ism. Developed as a formal ideology during Enlightenment thinking and codified into an -ism during the 19th century.
Egalitarianism split into competing versions—some want equal opportunity (fair race, unequal outcomes) while others want equal outcomes (everyone crosses finish line together)—and this distinction explains most modern political conflicts.
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