Our societies are dominated by a fundamental contradiction: as democratic societies, they affirm the essential equality of all subjects but as capitalist societies they do not cease to construct markets which establish hierarchies of competence and merit. This contradiction appears to increase rather than diminish. How is it possible to reconcile equality for all and individual merit? Social movements are created which demand the recognition of individuals - independent of merit - and a principle of equality that is easily converted into blame, contempt and violence. Without abandoning the search for equality, the double nature of our societies requires that we establish a policy for the recognition of the subject.