During the debates leading up to the Republican presidential nomination, Abraham Lincoln…

…avowed that he had “no purpose to introduce political and social equality between the white and the black races.” He had never been in favor “of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry.” He acknowledged “a physical difference between the two” that would “probably forever forbid their living together upon the footing of perfect equality.”

from Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin

It should have been obvious to me that in a country where slavery was legal there would have been such racism, but it still surprised me that even the most enlightened leaders of antislavery did not escape racial ignorance. It is difficult to know exactly how progressive Lincoln was, for if he did believe in ‘perfect equality’ admitting it would have been political suicide. Whatever the case, Goodwin makes clear that there was a deep rooted racism in the entire nation. Those that took the lead against slavery were simply the most progressive of a nation (perhaps world) where racism was firmly embedded in the entire culture. Goodwin reminds us to take the views of these antislavery leaders within that context.

Last year I read a biography of Andrew Carnegie who worked primarily in the period immediately following the death of Lincoln. Carnegie believed wholeheartedly in capitalism as a moral good where any man had the opportunity to work his way up the social ladder. In line with this view, he built libraries so that his workers could educate themselves, then forced them to work 12 hour days seven-days-per-week so that they never had the chance. Carnegie’s beliefs were very convenient for him, but when compared to the then recent history of slavery it is perhaps easier to see how he could believe in his moral capitalism without feeling deluded. Workers had a hard time during Carnegie’s time, but at least they had the opportunity to fight for their rights.

The course of the 20th century has very much been the story of the fight for equality. Social, racial, gender and sexuality are all prominent equality battles that have been progressing ever forward. I find this gradual progression fascinating. It sure has been anything but a gentle curve (most notably it included the rise of communism and fascism), but as a race we do seem to be making progress.

If we are progressing towards a greater moral equality, that gives me great hope that we will achieve such lofty dreams as an end to world poverty. I’m not sure we really tried until a few decades ago (unless you count the building of empires).

I also wonder why exactly it is happening. My instinct would suggest it is through the accumulation of knowledge enabled by the freedom to fight for it. The rise of democracy and the rise of equality have progressed hand-in-hand. Whatever the answer, the question is certainly worthy of further consideration so that we can make sure it continues.

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