Egalitarianism is the general principle that people are equal and should be treated so — across class, race, sex and any other division. Feminism applies that principle specifically to the sexes. Feminism is a form of egalitarianism; egalitarianism covers far more than sex.
The core difference
- egalitarian — holding that all people are equal in worth and should have equal rights, across every axis.
- feminism — the specific advocacy of equality between the sexes.
Scope, not disagreement
These are not competing positions. Egalitarianism is the broader principle; feminism is one application of it. Somebody can be both without contradiction, in the same way as being a doctor and a cardiologist.
Why people set them against each other
The pairing is usually raised as an argument — that egalitarian is preferable because it does not name one sex. The counter-argument is that naming the specific inequality is the point, since a general commitment to equality has historically coexisted with very specific exclusions. The framers of several equality declarations kept slaves and denied women the vote without perceiving an inconsistency.
This page is not going to settle that. Both words have clear definitions, and the disagreement is about emphasis and strategy rather than about what either term means.
The related vocabulary
- Equity — often distinguished from equality: equality gives everyone the same, equity gives according to need to reach the same outcome.
- Meritocracy — distribution by ability and effort. Not the same as egalitarianism, and often in tension with it.
- Levelling — a much older English term for reducing social distinctions, from the seventeenth-century Levellers.
Where the words come from
Egalitarian comes from French égalitaire, from égal, equal, from Latin aequalis — the same root as equal, equity, adequate and equanimity, which literally means an even mind.
The word entered English in the nineteenth century, carrying an association with French revolutionary politics — égalité being one of the three terms of the revolutionary motto.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between egalitarianism and feminism?
Egalitarianism holds that all people should be treated equally across every division. Feminism applies that principle specifically to the sexes.
Can you be both?
Yes. Feminism is a form of egalitarianism, so there is no contradiction — the relationship is like being a doctor and a cardiologist.
What is the difference between equality and equity?
Equality gives everyone the same; equity distributes according to need in order to reach the same outcome.