Amon and the Equalists was the first time The Legend Of Korra was shown to reject social movements, and unfortunately, it set a series trend there.

Because of his revolutionary rhetoric and goal of "equality", Ammon is sometimes described as a communist. And that would fit into the setting of The Legend of Korra, a 1920s world fresh from the industrial revolution; that is very similar to the real-world conditions that led to the development of socialist thought. An industrialized economy mixed with private property fuels capitalism, which needs a working class, which in turn creates the idea of ​​transferring power into the hands of that class.

Now, Amon is certainly a populist (also noted by Avatar video essayist Hello Future Me) but it's hard to portray it as a mirror of any real-world political movements, seeing as the Equalists' goal (the elimination of bending) is inherent in the Avatar world. As proof of this, some fans claim that Amon is really a fascist - he does leads its followers as a cult and their movement is built on demonizing the "other" (albeit an empowered one).

If the equilists everything one has to be communists, then it exposes either a very childish understanding of communism as just "making everyone the same!" or an imperfect allegory and, therefore, a solution. Taking away one's bending, as Amon does, is a spiritual mutilation, not just a redistribution. Bending is part of one's identity, while wealth is the mere accumulation of resources.

These contradictions could be fun to dive into, especially since the equilists do have valid concerns. Nebenders are not legally second-class citizens in Republic City, but banders have advantages and retain power structures. The city's policemen and politicians are all bands, as are the skilled workers; A Earthbender has an advantage in construction, just like a fireman who can bend lightning has an electrician, etc. A society where some people have magical powers and most don't is a natural recipe for creating a privileged class, so how does a separation of bending and class in addition to Amon's incredibly flawed, destructive approach?

The Legend of Korra Book 1 either doesn't have the answers or doesn't reveal them. This season has the weakest political resolution of the series, as in the end she refuses to make the resolution for politics. Amon is exposed as a liar (he's really a self-hating Waterbender who uses Bloodbending to remove people's bending) and so his followers turn against him. That's it. The Equalists apparently abandon all their beliefs because their leader was a hypocrite, and the inequality of Republic City is not addressed at all in the end of the season.

Like Korra herself so often, The Legend of Korra Book 1 bites off a bit more than it can chew.