A multitude of graphs seem to indicate these conclusions, but critiques have said that the book emphasizes income inequality too much and doesn't look at the cultural effects of income differences. The Spirit Level conclusions are strongest in the area of health. The links between average health outcomes and income inequality do appear strong, and disturbing. Other critics have decried the books lack of statistical analyses. Another critic stated that only the correlation between infant mortality and income inequality stood up to statistical scrutiny.
The book also concludes that it does not matter how a country gets to equality. It can be legislated, through socialization of the economic basis, or the economic basis of the country can exist equally through cultural influences. In either case, the data supports that more equality is associated with better outcomes in multiple broad areas.
The group then discussed how this greater inequality translates into the degree of happiness in the country or American state. In the past, this group read and discussed Jonathan Haight's book on happiness, entitled The Happiness Hypothesis. Haight says that 5 items in our lives contribute positively to the presence of happiness. 1) Support group, 2)Flow in work, 3) Faith, 4) Noise level, 5) Having savings (ie not living hand to mouth.)
What should be looked at really is the equality of the ability to achieve satisfaction -- not so much equality of income. It is the equal opportunity to find meaning or purpose in life. Inequality is also associated with a heavy negative government. A kind government seems to increase equality. An example is the Scandanavian countries where it almost seems as though they legislate equality. One member of the audience states that in Norway, there is no such thing as trespassing. You can go onto another's property as long as you don't bother the owner. Items are sold on the road based on an honor system. For example, one can stop and take some farm produce and leave the payment in a container. This is a common practice there.
Members of the audience sited various experiences that either they or their family have had while volunteering in very poor countries. Haiti is an example that some people have had first hand experience with. Nicaragua also was described as extremely poor with very poor infrastructure. There is no potable water in many communities. School children have no shoes, no school supplies, or even desks. It is a male dominated society and even male children do not respect their mothers. Certainly there are major cultural problems in addition to the poverty. Dave talked about Dominican Republic when he was there some years ago. His friend enjoyed the culture there so in some cases volunteers become very charmed by the local people, even when poverty is a major characteristic of the local society. Vlad talked about Russia. He originates from Russia and can discuss how things are with first hand knowledge. He told the story of how a blacksmith in a small town was making good money and could afford to hire men to work for him to increase his business still further. But official collectivism meant that he should not be making money for himself and hiring people to work for him. If people did this, they were exiled to Siberia. But a community needs its blacksmith very much so that could not be done to the blacksmith. So instead the Russian authorities collectivized the blacksmith, solving the problem. It should be noted that we have mentioned another book that looks comparatively at happiness in various countries-- the book is entitled The Geography of Bliss by the NPR foreign correspondant, Eric Weiner.
One discussant thought that we miss the boat if we focus only on income equality because we miss the spiritual. We need to find a way to help people to connect and join together. We need to empower people. Welfare does not do this. One avenue to do this is listening.
Those who have read the book The Spirit Level recommended it to the rest of the group.
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