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Richard has played a formative role in international research on the social determinants of health and on the societal effects of income inequality. He studied economic history at LSE before training in epidemiology. He is Professor Emeritus of Social Epidemiology at the University of Nottingham Medical School, Honorary Professor at UCL and a Visiting Professor at the University of York. Richard co-wrote The Spirit Level with Kate Pickett and is a co-founder of The Equality Trust
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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
5
Infant Mortality Rates are Higher in More Unequal Countries
Source: Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level (2009) www.equalitytrust.org.uk
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
Income Inequality
Ho
mic
ide
s p
er
mill
ion
pe
op
le
Low High
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
8
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
10
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
Ind
ex o
f h
ealt
h a
nd
so
cial
pro
ble
ms
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
Ind
ex o
f h
ealt
h a
nd
so
cial
pro
ble
ms
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
Educational Scores are Higher in More Equal Rich Countries
Source: Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level (2009) www.equalitytrust.org.uk
Children Experience More Conflict in More Unequal Societies
Source: Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level (2009)
11, 13 & 15 yr olds fighting, bullying, and finding peers not kind & helpful
www.equalitytrust.org.uk
More Children Drop Out of High School in More Unequal US States
Source: Wilkinson & Pickett, The Spirit Level (2009) www.equalitytrust.org.uk
19
Australia
Austria
Belgium Canada
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Portugal
Spain
Sweden
UK
USA
Worse
Better
UN
ICE
F in
dex
of c
hild
wel
l-bei
ng
0 10 20 30Lone parents as % of all households with dependent children
Single parents and child wellbeing
20
Literacy Scores of 16-25 year olds by Parents' Education
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Parents' Education (years)
Lit
era
cy
sc
ore
Sweden
Canada
United States
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?
22
Stereotype Threat
The effect of caste identity on children's performance
Caste Unannounced
Caste Announced
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
High Caste
Low Caste
Num
ber
of m
azes
sol
ved
Source: Hoff K, Pandey P, World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 3351, June 2004
Loughnan S, et al. Economic Inequality is linked to biased self-perception. Psychological Science, 2011; 22: 1254
In more unequal countries people abandon modestyand emphasise their achievments
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
Other tasks
Tasks with ‘social evaluative threat’ (uncontrollable)
Co
rtis
ol
resp
on
se (e
ffec
t si
ze)
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?
Well-being and long-term illness related to feeling shamed
Data from Swedish Liv & Halsa survey 2004. Starrin B, Wettergren A. Shame and humiliation in narrative social life. (forthcoming).
Number of ways people felt shamed in last 3 months
26
The effects of inequality - a two stage process
1. adult experience of inequality
2. passed on to children – epigenetics?
Trends in income inequality 1979-2005/6 (Gini coefficient, Great Britain.)
Brewer M, Goodman A, Muriel A, Sibieta L. Poverty and Inequality in the UK: 2007.
Institute of Fiscal Studies, London.
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
8.5
9.7
4.0
8.0
7.0
3.4
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%?
29
http://www.equalitytrust.org.uk
For more information:
… a book
and a website…
What can be done?
Taxes & benefits
• Stop tax avoidance
• End tax havens
• Make taxation progressive again
Income differences before tax
• Increase company democracy - employee ownership etc
• Promote more directors from within companies Sustainability needs
greater equality
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