Which term describes equal protection under the law without guaranteeing equal outcomes?

• A. Equality under the Law
• B. Due Process
• C. Consent of the Governed
• D. Social Contract Theory

Answer: (A)

Formal equality under the law means protecting people equally through the legal system and applying rules in the same way to everyone, but it does not promise that everyone will end up with the same results. This is the idea of equal protection under the law: fairness in how laws are applied, not guaranteeing identical outcomes for all individuals.

Due process is about fair procedures and fundamental fairness in how laws are enforced, not specifically about equal protection or equal outcomes. Consent of the governed describes the legitimacy of government arising from the people’s agreement, and Social Contract Theory is a broader philosophical idea about the origins of government—neither directly defines equal protection without guaranteeing equal outcomes.