Cornelius Castoriadis
If I try to ‘found’ equality rationally, I am able to do this only in and through a discourse which addresses itself to all and refuses all authority, a discourse therefore which has already presupposed equality of humans as reasonable beings. Cornelius Castoriadis
There are many reasons why equality is important, or is an important value. And there are many ways to justify its importance and the specific measures we take to promote equality among human beings. But the justification in this quote seems quite obvious and is often forgotten.
Yes we are theoretically all equal since we evolved from apes (even British royalty, OK, maybe from a branch with red asses) but then we have human nature which makes some of us more equal then others, and we even have assholes who take everything that they can put their hands on (or even their hind limbs, when they are hanging by their tails).