To the extent that Americans believe in any concept of equality it is a belief in the concept of equality of opportunity . This means that all that we support as a society is the idea of a level playing field so that we can all compete on similar terms. Americans reject equality of results as a social or political goal. In short, in the absence of greater social and economic equality than we in fact have in our society, equality of opportunity is a myth. Based on the author's definition of democracy, one of the conditions for democracy is greater social and economic equality.
Democracy becomes less likely when it is a relationship amongst unequals.
But the belief in the myth of equality of opportunity limits even a serious discussion of that idea and enshrines the status quo.