in /equality report
During six months we learned about the most unequal and the most equal countries. And that’s in the developed world concerning income.
We also searched for patterns of historical circumstances and current systems in place that encourage the creation of cultures of greed or sharing.
And found vast differences.
On one end is the USA. One of the most unequal countries where exploitation of people and natural resources has taken place since the country was established.
On the other end is Norway. Their income equality reflects itself in the quality of life of Norwegians and the happiness they experience.
You’ll find the results of our research down below. Including the contributing factors to inequality, on the other hand, the mechanisms that help to support the world of equality and fairness.
contributors to in/equality – table created in 2020
What can we do to reduce and eventually replace inequality?
Some of our findings are referring to cultural predispositions sprouting from the past. Colonisation on a large scale or harsh environmental conditions bounding people equally.
There is a lot we can do. I think that you might already know or you guess if you thought about it. Even so, here is some inspiration.
Rising awareness about inequality and accessible education helps. Also, exposure to diversity including cross-class and cross-cultural friendships. Let’s work together on a project with people we wouldn’t otherwise interact with and bring the barriers down. It can be anything. A community litter-pick, an allotment project or something more complex, if you want.
The other indicator of inequality in our research was income and corporate tax.
Could we create a local campaign group demanding a complete abolition of tax havens and increased tax for the rich? Or join an existing one such The Equality Trust’s groups spread across the UK or a similar? Why not. Let’s make our voices to be heard, together!
You could have noticed that social expenditure in most unequal countries is low.
Could we increase it by campaigning too, and support those in need by our taxes?
And homelessness? It seems to be unrelated to income inequality in our findings as Belgium (equal) scores high in homelessness and Portugal (unequal) low. However, could it suggest that there is a shift happening? Belgium becomes a more unequal country and Portugal will belong to the most equal countries soon? This could well be happening.
Whatever it is, should not homelessness completely disappear?
How it is possible that in the ‘developed’ world there are people hungry and sleeping rough in the first place?
What we can do about it?
If I am not able to help homeless people financially at all the time, would it help if I at least don’t ignore them?
I think it would.
Ask people on the streets how they feel when those passing them by pretending that they don’t exist. And listen to what they say.
If nothing just look at them and don’t be shy to tell them, at least, ‘I don’t have change now, sorry’. Or spent a minute to talk to them. They are people with feelings and stories you would never dream of.
Would it be worth to volunteer for an organisation helping homeless people? Or even create one? And over again what about campaigning and raising awareness. Could there also be different ways you could help?
Lastly, education.
The most unequal countries charge for education a lot of money we found. As only the privileged ones might pursue it. Enlarging the gap between the rich and poor even more.
Without going deep into tripled universities’ fees in England too much, how could we change this? Could we start to learn about whatever we enjoy by ourselves? Then find like-minded people and join groups? There is an amazing quantity of good quality information and people out there to learn from. If we topped it up with some ‘hands-on’ experience and volunteering in the field of our choice, would we still need a diploma to enjoy future employment?
Perhaps, if the job doesn’t require a strict assessment of knowledge needed to perform a given job well such become a nurse or doctor who saves human lives, we could really go for it without a degree. Especially when we don’t use them as symbols of status and class.
If we don’t create a pressure on the systems which are currently working for the privileged the most, who else will then?
As you see there are many things we could do on a personal level and on a communal level to decrease and eventually replace inequality.
No matter how big or small our efforts are. Yet, what matters is to have a vision of a better world for all and walk towards it by the way we think and act.
And when we fall, we had better to get up and carry on, together.
Thank you.