FORUM: Inequality is the enemy between us

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Published: 20 January, 2011
by KATHRYN BUSBY

People in more unequal societies have lower life expectancy, suffer more from mental illness, have higher rates of teenage births, obesity and violence, and are more likely to be imprisoned 

SOMETHING has gone badly wrong in our society. Alongside the news of rising unemployment, housing repossessions and bankruptcies, barely a day goes by without reports of knife crime, overflowing prisons, childhood obesity and anti-social behaviour.

Over the past 30 years the rich have become richer, but “trickle down” failed to benefit the rest of us. Income inequality has reached  its highest point since records began and its effects are socially divisive and corrosive; the price is paid by all of us.

Many people have long suspected that many of the problems in our society stem from inequality of income and wealth. Recent research published by The Equality Trust, taken from the best-selling book The Spirit Level by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett, shows that they were right.

The evidence shows the effects of inequality among rich, developed democracies on a broad range of health and social problems. More equal countries performed better on almost all measures of health and wellbeing.

The hard-hitting statistics show that more equal societies are friendlier and more cohesive, community life is stronger, homicide rates are lower and there is less bullying among schoolchildren.

In contrast, people in more unequal societies have lower life expectancy, suffer more from mental illness, have higher rates of teenage births, obesity and violence, and are much more likely to be imprisoned.

But this is not about egalitarian utopias. Comparing rich, market democracies shows that even small differences in inequality make huge differences to society.

The UK and US perform badly and are among the least equal of the rich countries. 

In contrast, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Japan all perform well and are among the most equal countries.

Reversing the trends of the last 30 years and halving income inequality would bring  massive gains to the UK and, although the main improvements are concentrated among the least well off, the evidence shows that the benefits extend to all sections of society.  

We could be among the best within a generation, with less than half the amount of obesity, 80 per cent fewer teenage births and 80 per cent plus fewer people in prison.

In London, where the bankers collecting their bonuses contrast starkly with so many people struggling to live on the minimum wage of just £5.93 an hour, estimates based on international experience suggest that halving the income gap could reduce mental illness by two-thirds and increase the proportion of the population who feel they can trust others by 85 per cent.

To understand why inequality has such damaging effects, we need to consider the insecurity and anxiety caused by bigger social status differences. 

Increasingly people judge status according to income and wealth and these judgments affect how we feel about ourselves in relation to others.

Inequality also puts a greater strain on family life and makes people more sensitive about being disrespected or looked down on. These are frequently triggers to violence.

There is another way… To achieve change we need to gain a wide understanding of what is at stake and build a social and political movement committed to realising the vision of a more equal society.

As discussions of the cuts dominate the political agenda, it shouldn’t be forgotten that there is still a different way to deal with the deficit. 

The new economics foundation estimates that up to £100billion of public money is lost annually through tax avoided, evaded or uncollected. 

The savings made from additional welfare cuts of £7billion are tiny by comparison and we call on the government to live up its claim that “we’re all in this together” by cutting the deficit through measures that decrease, not increase, inequality.

We urgently need more progressive policies that will promote a more equal, healthier and more cohesive society. 

This is a chance to transform society. Let’s make sure we take it.

The Equality Trust is campaigning to halve income inequality. To find out more visit www.equalitytrust.org.uk

• Kathryn Busby is a co-director of the Equality Trust