The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better

The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better was published in 2009. Written by Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson, the book highlights the “pernicious effects that inequality has on societies: eroding trust, increasing anxiety and illness, (and) encouraging excessive consumption”. It shows that for each of eleven different health and social problems: physical health, mental health, drug abuse, education, imprisonment, obesity, social mobility, trust and community life, violence, teenage pregnancies, and child well-being, outcomes are significantly worse in more unequal rich countries.

As of September 2012, the book had sold more than 150,000 copies in English. It is available in 23 foreign editions.

A collection of Powerpoint slides regarding The Spirit Level can be downloaded here.

 

Find more information, including an close-up of each of the eleven health and social problems, here.

Type
NGO/Civil Society Document, Policy & Policy Analysis, Research
Theme
Built environment (housing, transport, urban planning), Communicable diseases, Employment, occupational health, adult education, youth employment, Environment, climate change, Financial security, social protection, social inclusion, access to care, poverty, Governance, Health in All Policies, Economy of Wellbeing, Health Impact Assessment, sustainable development, Groups that experience vulnerability: women, ethnic minorities, LGBTI+, migrants, disability, Health systems and services, primary health care, integrated systems, prevention services, health workforce, Maternal health, pre- peri-natal, childhood conditions, adolescent health, education, Mental health, addiction, Non-communicable diseases, alcohol, nutrition, obesity, cancer, smoking, physical activity
Country
Europe, United Kingdom
Level
European, International, Local, National, Regional
Year
before 2010


Back to Database