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)

Life

exp

ecta

ncy

(yea

rs)

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

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?


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


Health and social problems are worse in more unequal countries

Ind

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so

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pro

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




• Social mobility

Ind

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Child well-being is better in more equal countries


The UNICEF Index of Child Wellbeing is not related to National Income per head


People in more unequal countries trust each other less


People in more unequal states of the USA trust each other less


Mental illness is more common in more unequal societies

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Infant Mortality Rates are Higher in More Unequal Countries


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30

60

90

120

150

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Income Inequality

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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


Imprisonment rates are higher in more unequal countries

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Teenage Birth Rates are Higher in More Unequal Rich Countries



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.

Mo

rtal

ity:

Od

ds

Rat

io

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




• Social mobility


Health and social problems are worse in more unequal countries

Ind

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h a

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ms

0

5

10

15

Singlemothers

Low HighFather's occupational class

Infa

nt

dea

ths

per

100

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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

-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?

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)

0

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0.8

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Other tasks

Tasks with ‘social evaluative threat’ (uncontrollable)

Co

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size

)

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)

Nar

ciss

istic

Per

sona

lity

Inve

ntor

y

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

equ

alit

y (G

ini)

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…

prof wilkinson presentation

Economy & Finance

spirit level child

spirit level life expectancy

spirit level index

spirit level social

spirit level mental

unequal countries source

unequal states

unequal rich countries