The Corrosion of Inequality

Just watched a very powerful info-graphic of the unbelievable trend in wealth distribution in the US – a situation that’s apparently unbelievable to the American public as well. “1% of America has 40% of all the nation’s wealth. The bottom 80% – 8 out of every 10 people – only has 7% between them.”

Which reminded me of a video conversation with Martin Wilkinson at the time The Spirit Level came out in 2009, a book that makes the case that inequality itself  – over and beyond how rich or poor a country is – is a direct cause for physical, mental and social problems.

And this has clear implications in our new time of environmental resource restraints, suggesting we don’t have to keep getting richer in order to be happier and healthier. On this analysis, beyond a threshold of average incomes, societies becoming more equal becomes the most important goal. More at the Equality Trust.