Richard Wilkinson - Workcast

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Richard Wilkinson. Emeritus ... G erm any. N eth erlan ds. S pain. F ran ce. C anada. S wizterlan d. Irelan d. G reece. Italy ... Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level.
Equality and Sustainability Richard Wilkinson Emeritus Professor of Social Epidemiology

Photo by kind permission of Matt Stuart

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Inequality... How much richer are the richest 20% in each country than the poorest 20%? Income gaps How many times richer are the richest fifth than the poorest fifth?

9.7 8.0

Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level

www.equalitytrust.org.uk

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Index of: • Life expectancy • Math & Literacy • Infant mortality • Homicides • Imprisonment • Teenage births • Trust • Obesity • Mental illness – incl. drug & alcohol addiction • Social mobility

Index of health and social problems

Health and social problems are worse in more unequal countries

Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level

www.equalitytrust.org.uk

Index of: • Life expectancy • Math & Literacy • Infant mortality • Homicides • Imprisonment • Teenage births • Trust • Obesity • Mental illness – incl. drug & alcohol addiction • Social mobility

Index of health and social problems

Neither health nor social problems are related to national income per head

Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level

www.equalitytrust.org.uk

Child well-being is better in more equal countries

Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level

www.equalitytrust.org.uk

The UNICEF Index of Child Wellbeing is not related to National Income per head

Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level

www.equalitytrust.org.uk

People in more unequal countries trust each other less

Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level

www.equalitytrust.org.uk

People in more unequal states of the USA trust each other less

Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level

www.equalitytrust.org.uk

Bigger income gaps lead to deteriorations in:Social Relations • • • • •

Child conflict Homicide Imprisonment Social capital Trust

• • • • •

Health

Drug abuse Infant mortality Life expectancy Mental illness Obesity

Human Capital • • • • •

Child wellbeing High school drop outs Math & literacy scores Social mobility Teenage births

Equality and Sustainability • Reducing carbon emissions does not mean reducing the real quality of life • Great inequality intensifies consumerism • People in more equal societies are more public spirited, better able to act for the common good 11

World average CO2

www.equalitytrust.org.uk

Working hours are longer in more unequal countries

Source: Bowles S, Park Y. Economic Journal 2005; 115 (507): F397–F412. 2005.

More equal countries are more generous foreign aid donors

People use bicycles more often in more equal societies

Data compiled by Oy Kanjanavanit from various sources

Business leaders in more equal countries give a higher priority to complying with international environmental agreements

With permission from R De Vogli & D Gimeno

More equal countries recycle more waste Best Japan

Sweden

Germany

Recycling (average rank)

Switzerland

France

Australia Italy

Portugal

Spain

USA UK

Worst Low

High Income Inequality

Source: Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level (2009)

“Growth is a substitute for equality of income. So long as there is growth there is hope, and that makes large income differentials tolerable.” - Henry Wallich, former governor of the US Federal Reserve Bank and professor of economics at Yale.

But...if growth and equality are substitutes, then equality maybe a precondition for a steady-state economy. 18

Photo by kind permission of Matt Stuart

For more information: … a book and a website…

http://www.equalitytrust.org.uk

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