Accident of birth
Accident of birth is a phrase pointing out that no one has any control of, or responsibility for, the circumstances of their birth or parentage. With a modern scientific understanding of genetics, one can reasonably call any human being's entire genome an accident of birth. The place of birth of a baby has an effect in immigration law of many nations, so that an "accidental" birth in an airport lounge may entitle a person to a passport in later life.
More broadly, gender, family circumstances, cultural background, access to education, career opportunities, inheritance rights, are all examples of accidents of birth.
As a cause of inequality
Writing on wealth inequality in 1881, the American Lester Frank Ward gave an opinion:
It is obvious that mere accident of birth and position is sufficient to account for the great bulk of this inequality; that real intelligence, beyond the coarse cunning inspired by avarice, has little or nothing to do with it [...][1]
See also
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- ↑ The Penn Monthly. University Press Company. 1881. p. 328. Search this book on
