Initially, the creators of Ben and Jerry Ice Cream promised equality of workers. They said that the highest paid CEO of the company would never earn more than five times what the least paid employee earned. The company made delicious ice cream and followed that principle for 16 years. Then in 1999 management decided it needed a seven to one ration to find a CEO for the next phase of business. The ratio of the difference in salaries eventually soared to 17:1 before the company sold to Unilever when the ratio was eliminated.
A similar shift happens in the classical satire novel by George Orwell, “Animal Farm.” After rebelling and expelling Farmer Jones from his farm, the animals agreed, “We will all work together, share everything and all follow the seven rules.” The last one stated, “All animals are equal.” While all were equal in rights and treatment they were not equal in abilities. The pigs quickly learned how to read, figure and manage the farm. Boxer, the strong work horse, could only remember the first four letters of the alphabet. He did however determine that he would work hard to keep Animal Farm free and prosperous. He got up earlier, worked later and harder than the rest. He believed in the equality of Animal Farm. The pigs repaid his loyalty by cutting back on his and the other animals’ rations when they began selling produce to the humans.
The pigs left the rules on the barn wall but added a few words as they became more like Farmer Jones:When they discovered Brown’s whiskey, “No alcohol” became “no alcohol to excess.”Following a human counter attack, several animals gave forced confessions of treason and were executed by the pigs trained dogs. That night the “Do not kill” changed to “Do not kill without just cause.”The pigs discovered the comfort of the farmer’s house and “Do not sleep in a bed” became “do not sleep in a bed with sheets.” They really liked the blankets which they did not share with the barn animals.
Even the basic premise of animal farm: “Four legs good. Two legs bad” changed to “Four legs good, two legs better” as the pigs put on clothes, stood on their hind feet and did business with people.They summarized the new regime with one more addition. “All animals are equal” became, “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.”
The principle of equality also challenged the writers of the Declaration of Independence. Some of the slave owning Founding Fathers pondered the dichotomy of saying “All men are created equal,” while denying freedom and equality to people who cleaned, cooked and farmed for them. A few believed it so much that they embraced the financial cost of applying that principle. In 1784 William Whimple freed the slave who had joined him in the Revolutionary War. Washington’s last will and testament released the 123 slaves he owned albeit after he died. He could not release the rest, they belonged to his wife’s estate. Benjamin Franklin released a few slaves, but kept those working on his plantation. Robert Carter, however, took the principle of equality seriously and freed 452 of his 500 slaves despite opposition. Recently our nation modeled it’s own example of “all are equal, but some are more equal.” During the government shutdown all the TSA workers had to continue working without pay. Meanwhile the members of Congress, whose salaries came from the same government checkbook, kept on receiving their checks as did every other federal employee. TSA workers received no money, not even to buy food to keep them healthy enough to work. Meanwhile the fat cats in Congress fed heartily at the public trough.” Again demonstrating, “All are equal, but some are more equal than others.” It takes a person with strong convictions to relinquish the power, privilege and monetary benefits of their position to ensure that all are treated equally. Unfortunately, few willingly make the sacrifice and follow the example of Robert Carter and William Whimple.