I would also suggest that inequality is also a problem in that it can distort the political process - this seems to be a particular problem in the US although we are hardly immune from it here in the UK.
I see your point. Though, I'm not terribly convinced about wealth inequality being a major driver in this. I know it is a hot political topic, however, I don't think it is nearly as extreme (except for the very edges of the spectrum) nor as problematic as it is being portrayed. I read this paper recently that I thought was an interesting perspective: https://cei.org/sites/default/files/Ryan%20Young%20and%20Iai...
Because excess income inequality is a symptom of larger societal problems. Much of the debate over inequality serves as a proxy for other issues such as classism, government/corporate relations, civic responsibility, and the future of the economy.
I don’t think the parallel there is necessarily the one we should care about. The article and the book author both talk about economic inequality and loss of faith in public institutions to solve their problems.
There's a similar observation at the book the spirit level,by richard wilkinson who show the link between income inequality and bad results in numerous health and social attributes. And it really moves the political inequality debate to a more scientific field , which is nice.
One supposed reason for the link is that inequality(and low status) causes stress. Which hurts health, causes depression, etc.
Yeah, I'm not really sure of the political message of the comparison. It's not surprising that wealthier people live in nicer areas with more greenspace....
Income inequality is not the enemy - in fact it is what incentivizes our economy and ultimately builds wealth for everyone. Corruption, lack of opportunity, abject poverty - those are the problems.
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