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The Spirit Level at 15

Climate Income Inequality The Spirit Level

July 22, 2024

In 2009, the bestselling and award winning book, The Spirit Level, sounded the alarm on the corrosive effects of economic injustice. At a time when only a few academics were exploring this issue, the book provided a comprehensive analysis linking the negative effects of inequality to a wide range of social ills – from higher rates of imprisonment and mental health issues to eroded trust within society. It revolutionised the way we looked at, measured and understood the impacts of inequality.

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The book’s original release coincided with a change in the UK government after the 2010 election which ushered in years of austerity along with cuts to vital public services. It has been described as ‘the most influential and talked-about book on society in the last decade.’ 15 years on its warnings ring truer than ever. Billionaire wealth has skyrocketed, and the richest 52 families in the UK now have more wealth than the bottom half of the population. If this trend continues, by 2035, the richest 200 families will have more wealth than the entire UK GDP. 

Summary of the Spirit Level at 15

Authors Professor Richard Wilkinson and Professor Kate Pickett, along with the Equality Trust, have released an update which revisits its original research with new data and analyses. It introduces two new indices, and expands on the original Spirit Level to offer updated data on a total of 27 newly analysed dimensions. It underscores how inequality harms us all and lies at the root of our escalating environmental, health and social crises. Its message is a rallying cry to reject the false narratives that have justified inaction, and to boldly confront systemic inequalities.

The Spirit Level at 15 shows for the first time how greater income inequality is particularly bad for the climate. It finds that nations with high levels of equality have the greatest focus on reducing carbon emissions, while the richest 10% of the population are responsible for more than half of all global emissions. It shows how inequality impacts every aspect of society, including our economy, highlighting that the UK’s record on child poverty in recent years is not an aberration, but what is expected in a country this unequal.

Findings on democracy and trust underline warning signs from the general election: inequality dramatically lowers trust, social cohesion, and levels of democracy. The rise of the far right and collapsing trust in democratic institutions across the world has gone hand-in-hand with exploding wealth and power for the ultra-rich. This should worry us all. 

Above: a chart from The Spirit Level at 15 showing countries levels of income inequality compared to a triple index of health, social, and environmental problems, which shows a trend where more unequal countries tend to have worse scores on the index.

Below: a chart from The Spirit Level at 15 comparing the levels of democracy to levels of income inequality, showing a trend where more unequal countries tend to have lower levels of democracy.

Inequality is not inevitable, but a choice. This report is a wake-up call to the government and essential decision-makers who need to act quickly and reverse decades of rising inequalities of income, wealth and power to protect our planet and ensure everyone can live a good life.

Launching The Spirit Level at 15 Online

On Monday 22 July at 6pm, we launched the report with an online event. You can watch a recording of the event below. Professors Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson also wrote an op-ed for the Guardian expanding on the reasons for the update.