“Early socialists and others believed that material inequality was an obstacle to a wider human harmony, to a universal human brotherhood, sisterhood or comradeship. The data we present…suggest that this intuition was sound: inequality is divisive, and even small differences seem to make an important difference.”
In Western democratic societies it is commonly believed that we live in a ‘land of equal opportunity’. Material living standards are high, education is generally free to all and it is up to the individual to make of it what they will; the more intelligent and motivated work their way to the top, with others finding their place down below. The Spirit Level confronts this assumption again and again with evidence that smashes it to absolute smithereens.
Using income inequality as the base measure of general societal inequality Wilkinson and Pickett paint a picture not completely unfamiliar. Being poor puts in place various obstacles to achieving at school, being healthy and fit, staying out of trouble, and avoiding teenage pregnancies. However this is only a minuscule part of the picture. The biggest obstacles come from inequality. In societies with a bigger gap between the rich and the poor, everyone is more prone to being violent, having teenage pregnancies, to mental illness, to being fat and to dying earlier than their counterparts (those who earn the same yearly income) in more equal societies.
The impact of this is huge. Simply being Japanese, one of the most equal societies in the world, means that you will live on average 5 years longer than if you were American. Notably, this is not due to living standards or whether you are a toilet cleaner or a doctor. It is due to a variety of physical and psychological factors stemming from the increased stress from the increased importance of having and maintaining the appearance of high social status. This is incredibly relevant to New Zealanders, as the gap between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ is ever-increasing; income inequality between the rich and the poor in New Zealand is one of the highest in the world. Essentially, the greed of the prosperous and powerful who set policies allowing the gap between rich and poor to grow and grow damn both the greedy and everyone around them to lives of greater misery and tragedy than need be. Whether you are a Libertarian, Capitalist or Marxist, this cannot be seen as anything other than counterintuitive.
The great thing about this book is not just the plethora of facts, figures, and funny cartoons that support and drive home the central message as stated in the title, everyone does better in more equal societies; it is how amazingly accessible it is. If you have no scientific background– no worries! All is explained clear and simple so that anyone from any background can pick it up and be on their way. A must for anyone wanting to better understand how they, and everyone else, can be happier in this world.
Overall: Four and a Half Stars
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