in/equality - the pay gap - part 3

We've looked at whether equality or inequality when it comes to people's income is a 'good thing':
Jay Doubleyou: in/equality - the pay gap

And we've looked at the pay gap between men and women:
Jay Doubleyou: in/equality - the pay gap - part two

How does all of this effect society?

Some would say that inequality is actually bad for the economy:
Revealed: how the wealth gap holds back economic growth | Business | The Guardian

These books and theories are not only being looked at by academics:



Why is Thomas Piketty's 700-page book a bestseller? | Money | The Guardian
Here’s an unlikely bestseller: A 700-page book on 21st century economics - The Washington Post
Amazon.com: Capital in the Twenty-First Century (9781491534656): Thomas Piketty, L.J. Ganser, Arthur Goldhammer: Books



THE SPIRIT LEVEL (short film) - YouTube
The Spirit Level: Britain's new theory of everything? - BBC News
The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone: Amazon.co.uk: Richard Wilkinson, Kate Pickett: 9780241954294: Books
The Spirit Level | The Equality Trust




OECD inequality report: how do different countries compare? | News | The Guardian

If you look at Scandinavia (and the Netherlands and Switzerland), things seem to be very attractive:
Scandinavia, the Crown of Civilisation:Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland
Why the Danes are the happiest people in the world -The official website of Denmark
Better live in Sweden than in the US: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better
Maintaining Sweden's equal society - BBC News
Gender equality in Sweden | sweden.se

Especially when it comes to children:

“More equal societies, such as Scandinavian countries, tend to do better.
Children's well-being not looking much rosier | Prevention Action
Inequality says more than wealth about children's well-being | Prevention Action

www.unicef.org/media/files/ChildPovertyReport.pdf

Although the UK has since risen up the scale:
UK rises up Unicef child well-being ranking - BBC News

But not everyone thinks Scandinavia is the best place on earth:
Why Scandinavia is not the model for global prosperity we should all pursue | Guardian Sustainable Business | The Guardian

And there was quite an argument over the 'Spirit Level' book:
The Spirit Level Delusion: 20 questions for Richard Wilkinson & Kate Pickett
The authors respond to questions about The Spirit Level's analysis | The Equality Trust

Here's a video of that debate:

Uploaded on Feb 2, 2011

Kate Pickett, Richard Wilkinson, Peter Saunders and Christopher Snowdon debate the influential book The Spirit Level and ask whether the benefits of egalitarianism can be statistically proven?

RSA Debates The Spirit Level - YouTube
Peter Saunders - Debunking the equality myth: A critique of 'The Spirit Level' - YouTube
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