A democratic government must provide equal opportunity for all citizens.

A democratic government must provide equal opportunity for all citizens.

10-10:30

With the roots of democracy going back thousands years in Ancient Greece, the main purpose of democracy is to provide a voice for the people. Many western nations such as the United States and European Union have adopted a democracy to allow people to engage freely in whatever they pursue. However, with the increase in competition from other global superpowers such as China and India the concept of equal opportunity is present but not as effective as before. Many factors must be considered in terms of giving equal opportunity and it depends on the circumstances.

First consider when a democratic government might give equal opportunity to all citizens. The United States is a well known democracy throughout the world for doing this. However, the only times the government can give equal opportunity is to those who follow the rules laid out by the government. While reality shows that people are not born equally, the US democratic system maintains the cornerstone of all being equal under the law. The rule of law and notion that all its citizens must be given equal opportunity is supported by democracy. In an attempt to correct the country's discriminatory history, the government has institutionalized affirmative action policies in its process of hiring and promotion. A pressing problem in the United States is the gap in education and job acquisition by African Americans and Native Americans.While some might argue that this is a path toward providing minorities with equal opportunity, others will maintain that the policy is discriminatory toward the rest of the population who do not qualify for the program. However, the government must support minorities who have been discriminated against historically a chance to improve their situation in society. By doing so it will help minorities rise and inspire others of the same racial and economic background.

On the other hand there are situations where the government must not give equal opportunity to all citizens. However, if a person disobeys the law deliberately then one must not be given an equal opportunity in society. Consider a pressing issue in today’s society of sex offenders and terrorists. With the expansion & availability of technology it is very easy for people to commit crimes on the internet or do it physically. For example, sex offenders must not be given an equal opportunity in society because they pose a threat to young children in society. As a result, many sex offenders are ordered by courts to register themselves online to be published on a government website known as a sex offender registry. This registry allows the public to be informed and aware of potential sex offenders in their community as a preventative measure to keep minors away from them. Another example, are the terrorists that plot the 9-11 attacks on US soil. Many of these terrorists are foreign nationals who are not aware of US laws but deliberately launched an attack to harm innocent citizens in New York and DC.  As a result, the government did not allow the terrorists to have a counterargument or plea bargain in their court proceedings because of the heinous nature of their crime.

All in all the government, can only give equal opportunity to all citizens depends on the circumstances. When an individual is lawful and follows the rules in society but is struggling financially such as Blacks and Native Americans then the government is obligated to close the gap and help them to be positive contributors to society. However, criminals who break the law intentionally do not deserve a second chance and thereby no equal opportunity because they are seen as dangerous to other citizens in society.