Tuesday 24 January 2012

SHOWING WHAT MAKES A SOCIETY DYSFUNCTIONAL

This is Lee Turnpenny's First Person column, published in today's Leicester Mercury:
Showing what makes a society dysfunctional
Lee Turnpenny thinks we should pay more heed to the research of the Equality Trust
A while ago I attended a talk by Richard Wilkinson, co-author (with Kate Pickett) of The Spirit Level. Through accessible presentation and explanation of data, this book reveals that the dysfunctionality of a society is determined not by its average income level relative to other societies, but by the extent of income inequality within – that is, the breadth of the gap between its rich and poor.
Since the book was published in 2009, the busting of capitalism's flush brings no alleviation to this sorry state of affairs. Cuts and job losses disproportionately affect those at the lower end of the income scale, while those responsible still reap perversely massive bonus pay-outs.
The backlash is under way in the form of peaceful "Occupy" protests in various countries. And it is good to see. But as ever, there is the inevitable right-wing attempt to undermine and discredit the research. Not unlike those – often political – movements that expend time and cash muddying clear scientific waters around climate change or evolution, right-wing free market ideologues pour scorn on the findings of Wilkinson and Pickett, stoking controversy, and positing their own counter-"data" in books such as The Spirit Level Delusion.
Anyway, don't take my word for it. However, I was interested to discover an Early Day Motion (EDM) on this issue tabled last year by Caroline Lucas (leader of the Green Party and its sole MP). EDMs are a parliament facility for MPs to bring all manner of matters to the attention of the House (often seemingly for no other reason than that they can). EDM 1775, entitled "Income Inequality", states:"That this House notes the findings of the Equality Trust that societies with smaller income differences between rich and poor have fewer health and social problems, such as teenage births, violence, mental illness and drug abuse; further notes that such societies have higher levels of trust between citizens and more social mobility; and therefore encourages the Government to promote policies that reduce income inequality."
Well, I knocked off a letter to my MP, in order to persuade that consideration of a signature on this would be worthwhile.
Unsuccessfully, as it turns out. EDMs receive varying attention from MPs, so absence of signatures cannot reliably indicate where your MP actually is on an issue. However, I recommend taking a look at EDM 1775, and seeing whether there is anything that strikes you as, err... under-represented? Or would that be a presupposition?
It is also worth visiting The Equality Trust site, where, if you feel strongly on this, a facility for contacting your own MP is provided.

Lee Turnpenny blogs on science at: http://blogs.nature.com/u71147cba/

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