Angus Robertson

A fair society is one where citizenship is available to all committed participants in that society, and all these citizens have the same rights and opportunities. Merit comes into just reward in society, but so does a level and proportioned playing field. For me, merit consists of a mix of: responsibility, experience, skill, effort and risk. Noone should have the right to “own” someone else’s labour, because that permits monopoly and oligarchy to interfere with the equality of society. However, someone in a fair society should be entitled to take a larger share of profit if they have invested more labour as individuals, but this should be far more closely proportioned than it is in the UK currently. As a result of economic equality, social equality can be improved and as a result, equality of opportunity can be established (for me, a fundamental principle of fairness in society). A fair and proportional electoral system would also need to exist, where as many peoples votes as possible can contribute to the election of their representatives (In democracy people get the government they deserve etc.) At the centre of all fairness from a societal perspective is justice. It is not fair that someone can be alienated from their labour, rights or enfranchisement, and provided that an equality of opportunity exists, people should be able to live freely within these confines.

Angus Robertson, Stagiaire, European Parliament

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