Do Thing Cultivating Equal Opportunity Society Helped Countries South Africa America Move Forward?

Equal opportunity is a very important concept in a free market society. Both America and South African have proven the merits behind a society grounded in equal opportunity. Both America and South Africa have thriving economies, with a high quality of life for all those within the civilization. This quality of life manifests itself in numerous ways including increase wealth, efficiencies, convenience, and longevity. All of which have their roots in a free market society dominated by capitalistic incentives. It is the combination of a free market enterprise with those of equal opportunity that gives rise to the spectacular increases in GDP and wealth per capita. The system of equal opportunity unlocks human potential as profit motives create incentives to innovate. These innovations give rise to still further innovations that ultimately enhance the overall quality of life for the entire world. Aspects such as automobiles, airplanes, radio, television, and the internet have some connection to a free market economy with equal opportunity. These systems allowed for the development of these products with society still benefiting from the work of others. It is therefore my contention that cultivating an equal opportunity environment does indeed help developed countries' move forward.

First, treating people similarly, unhampered by artificial barriers or prejudices or preferences, is the foundation of both South Africa and America. The concept of equal opportunity precludes the concept of fairness. Everyone, within a developed society, should be given equal opportunity to participate in its prosperity. In many instances providing equal opportunity to all will ultimately help society move forward. For instance, having disparate views often helps create solution that is better then previously thought. Cultural collaboration within an equal opportunity society is particularly advantages as new and innovative ideas are devised. These ideas are then implemented in society for the entire nations benefit (Parekh, 2000).

What makes both South Africa and America so successfully is the model that they employ in regards to equal opportunity. To be fair, the model is still skewed towards wealthy white males, however, the model provides ample opportunity for others. The basic model used in both countries begins with an initial starting point. For instance, an ad is posted for a lawn mower job online. For the most part, this is done in a correct manner by both South Africa and America. All eligible people should be given opportunity to compete and apply for the job. Next and where the model most frequently breaks down is the selection process. Here, the selection should consider the "qualifications deemed relevant to successful performance in a position or program." Using the lawn mower example, the applicant must be strong enough to push a lawn mower, endure excessive time in the heat, and be able to work in a quick manner. The selection process should not incorporate irrelevant aspects such as race.