Prof wilkinson presentation

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Why more equal societies do better

Richard Wilkinson Emeritus Professor of Social Epidemiology

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Income per head and life-expectancy: rich & poor countries

Source: Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level (2009) www.equalitytrust.org.uk

‘‘Cross-country data show almost no relation between changes in life expectancy and economic growth over 10, 20, or 40-year time periods between 1960 and 2000. Many countries have shown remarkable improvements in health with little or no economic growth...’’

Cutler D, Deaton A, Lleras-Muney A. The Determinants of Mortality. J Economic Perspectives 2006; 20: 97–120.

www.equalitytrust.org.uk

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www.equalitytrust.org.ukWilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level

Life expectancy in rich countries is no longer related to National Income per head

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Local Neighbourhoods(in England & Wales)

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Richest Poorest

Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level www.equalitytrust.org.uk

Life expectancy is strongly related to income within rich countries

3.7 3.94.3 4.6 4.8

5.2 5.3 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.76.1 6.2

6.7 6.8 6.87.2

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Income gapsHow many times richer are the richest fifth than the poorest fifth?

Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level www.equalitytrust.org.uk

Inequality...How much richer are the richest 20% in each country than the poorest 20%?

Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level

Index of: • Life expectancy• Math & Literacy

• Infant mortality• Homicides• Imprisonment• Teenage births • Trust• Obesity• Mental illness

– incl. drug & alcohol addiction

• Social mobility

www.equalitytrust.org.uk

Health and social problems are worse in more unequal countries

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www.equalitytrust.org.ukWilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level

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

Index of: • Life expectancy• Math & Literacy

• Infant mortality• Homicides• Imprisonment• Teenage births • Trust• Obesity• Mental illness

– incl. drug & alcohol addiction

• Social mobility

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www.equalitytrust.org.ukWilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level

Child well-being is better in more equal countries

www.equalitytrust.org.ukWilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level

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

www.equalitytrust.org.ukWilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level

Mental illness is more common in more unequal societies

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Infant Mortality Rates are Higher in More Unequal Countries

Source: Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level (2009) www.equalitytrust.org.uk

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Income Inequality

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Daly M, Wilson M, Vasdev S. Income inequality and homicide rates in Canada and the United States. Can J Crim 2001; 43: 219-36.

Homicide rates are higher in more unequal

US states and Canadian provinces USA states

Canadian provinces

www.equalitytrust.org.ukWilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level

Imprisonment rates are higher in more unequal countries

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Teenage Birth Rates are Higher in More Unequal Rich Countries

Source: Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level (2009) www.equalitytrust.org.uk

www.equalitytrust.org.ukWilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level

Social mobility is lower in more unequal countries

Social Relations

• Child conflict• Homicide• Imprisonment• Social capital• Trust

Bigger income gaps lead to deteriorations in:-

Human Capital

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

Health

• Drug abuse• Infant mortality• Life expectancy• Mental illness • Obesity

Indicator International US 50 StatesCensus GiniUN 20:20 OECD Gini

  r p r p r p

Child wellbeing -071 <0.01 -0.68 0.01 - -

Trust -0.66 <0.01 -0.66 0.03 -0.70 <0.01

Life expectancy -0.44 0.04 -0.27 0.24 -0.45 <0.01

Infant mortality 0.42 0.04 0.54 0.01 0.43 <0.01

Obesity 0.57 <0.01 0.41 0.06 0.47 <0.01

Mental illness 0.73 <0.01 0.32 0.30 0.18 0.12

Education score -0.45 0.04 -0.46 0.05 -0.47 .01

Teen birth rate 0.73 <0.01 0.64 <0.01 0.46 <0.01

Homicides 0.47 0.02 0.44 0.04 0.42 <0.01

Imprisonment 0.75 <0.01 0.51 0.02 0.48 <0.01

Social mobility 0.93 <0.01 0.83 <0.01 - -

Index 0.87 <0.01 0.75 <0.01 0.59 <0.01

Correlations: different measures and settings

Zheng H. Social Science & Medicine 2012; 75: 36-45.

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Lag time - Years

Lag times: marginal impact of a 0.01-unit increase in the Gini on individual mortality risk over time

Kondo et al, BMJ, 2009; 339: b4471

Inequality and mortality over time: meta-analysis of multilevel cohort studies

Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level

Index of: • Life expectancy• Math & Literacy

• Infant mortality• Homicides• Imprisonment• Teenage births • Trust• Obesity• Mental illness

– incl. drug & alcohol addiction

• Social mobility

www.equalitytrust.org.uk

Health and social problems are worse in more unequal countries

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Singlemothers

Low HighFather's occupational class

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England & Wales

Sweden

Leon, D. A., D. Vagero, et al. (1992). "Social class differences in infant mortality in Sweden: comparison with England and Wales." Brit Med J 305(6855): 687-91.

The benefits of greater equality are not confined to the poor but extend to all social classes

Infant mortality by class: Sweden compared with England & Wales

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Literacy Scores of 16-25 year olds by Parents' Education

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Parents' Education (years)

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Source: Willms JD. 1997. Data from OECD Programme for International Student Assessment.

More inequality

• More superiority and inferiority• More status competition and consumerism

• More status insecurity

• More worry about how we are seen and judged

• More “social evaluation anxiety”(threats to self-esteem & social

status, fear of negative judgements

Valued or Devalued?

Social Status and Friendship

Opposite sides of the same coin:

Social status (dominance hierarchies, pecking orders) are orderings based on power, coercion and privileged access to resources – regardless of the needs of others.

Friendship, in contrast, is based on reciprocity, mutuality, social obligations, sharing and a recognition of each other’s needs.

Companion Spanish: Compañero; French: Copain

from the Latin “Con” (with) and “Pan” (bread)

- someone with whom you eat bread

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Psychosocial risk factors for ill health

Low social status

Weak social connections

Stress in early life (pre- and postnatally)

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Other tasks

Tasks with ‘social evaluative threat’ (uncontrollable)

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Dickerson SS, Kemeny ME. Acute stressors and cortisol responses. Psychological Bulletin 2004; 130(3): 355-91.

What kind of stressful tasks raise stress hormones most?

Loughnan S, et al. Economic Inequality is linked to biased self-perception. Psychological Science, 2011; 22: 1254

Self enhancement increases in more unequal societies

Rising narcissism among American college students(meta-analysis of 85 samples 1979-2006)

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Twenge JM, Konrath S, Foster JD, Campbell WK, Bushman BJ. Egos inflating over time. J Personality 2008; 76(4): 875-901.

Mishel L, Sabadish N. Economic Policy Institute Brief #331. Washington, May 2012

Changing ratio of CEO pay to average pay of production & non-supervisory workers in top 350 US companies

Between 1979-2007 the income of the:-Top 0.1% increased by 362%Top 1% increased by 156%Bottom 90% increased by17%

Rising income inequality in Britain 1979-2011In

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Cribb J, Joyce R, Phillips D. Living standards, poverty and inequality in the UK: 2012. Institute for Fiscal Studies, London 2012

What can be done?

Taxes & benefits

• Stop tax avoidance

• End tax havens

• Make taxation progressive again

Income differences before tax

• Stronger Trade Unions

• Increase company democracy - employee ownership etc

• Promote more directors from within companies

Sustainability needs greater equality

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http://www.equalitytrust.org.uk

For more information:

… a book

and a website…