The Broad Scope of Inequality

Global inequality has been present in many different aspects of society, shown to affect not only individuals but also entire nations. Across the social, economical, and spatial dimensions, disparity has become an overwhelming issue that barries humanity from progress. Thus, the development of different strategies that can tackle this issue shows to be in need. As said by Nelson Mandela, “As long as poverty, injustice, and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest.” (Mandela, 2021)

Since the world aims to progress, reducing inequality must become a goal for the next decade. Yet, due to its complexity, the issue of  inequality requires not only one simple and general strategy, but several that can reach the different scopes in this matter. 

This paper is iudentifiying key points and issues related to the topic, and present ways on how to fight inequality in different manners, before concluding with an overall reflection on the matter.

Defining Inequality

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the word inequality - a noun - can be defined as “the unfair situation in society when some people have more opportunities, money, etc. than other people” (Cambridge Dictionary, 2021). What could be a simple word in a dictionary, is a relevant issue in today's society, that comes from an individual, grows to affect societies, and entire countries.  

 The unbalanced and unfair allocation of resources and opportunities to individuals is referred to as inequality. (Koh, 2020) Although it may be presented in different contexts, the issue is well spread. According to the United Nations report on reduced inequalities “Almost 2 in 10 people reported having personally experienced discrimination on at least one of the grounds established by international human rights law” (What’s the goal here?, 2018.). Inequality has existed as long as humanity has. Now, with the emergence of technology, increased information and globalization, however, negative and disadvantaged treatment of individuals and groups has become more prevelent in people's´mind. Discrimination, and hate towards those affected by it, can have several roots and causes, but it is widely acknowledged that the issue is a systematic one. (Koh, 2020)

The Several Scopes of Inequality

The issue of inequality overlaps economic, social, and spatial factors, bringing a large scope to its debate. (Koh, 2020) Although complex, these disparities can be highlighted to different dimensions: income, gender, health, and education; currently highly unbalanced, these areas are deeply affected by the issue of inequality. 

Income. The inequality present in income is one of the most common and severely hurts not only individuals but nations as a whole. When comparing Brazil, a country with a high Gini Index - indicating a high income inequality level - to Canada we can see a clear difference in the impact of income inequality. (Gini index (World Bank estimate) | Data, 2011). 

As an example, we can take the salary while a Brazilian engineer would make seven times more than a carpenter, the difference in Canada would be only 1.7. Although the high-income remuneration is the same in both countries, the lower salary is significantly less. (Mendes, 2015) 

Gender. When depicting the inequality issue on gender, it often overlaps with education, income, and employment. As, according to OECD, women earn 16% less than men, it is also seen that there is also a large gap in the gender proportion of top management. (Inequality - OECD, 2019) Although equality has progressed in education over the past 50 years, with girls reaching higher levels of education, there are still deeper inequality gaps to be filled as these women progress in their careers. 

Health. The presence of inequality across not only countries, but also within the nation eachself can be seen in health status and life expectancy. This discrepancy is due to different aspects from living and working conditions to the availability of health care in these countries. 

Education. According to a research conducted by OECD (In It Together: Why Less Inequality Benefits All, 2015), people with the highest levels of education can be expected to live approximately six years more than the less educated ones, showing the impact of education on even life expectancy. (Inequality - OECD, 2019) As other inequality issues overlap, education is often entrenched in many other matters. 

Importance & Impact 

Aiming to promote prosperity while protecting the planet, the United Nations created the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Its tenth goal is reducing inequality both within and among countries. Considering the relevance of tackling inequality when aiming for success, the objective of “Reduced Inequalities” was created. (Martin, 2020) The presence of disparity affects not only individuals, but it threatens the social and economic development, becoming a barrier to the sustainable development and progress of the planet.  The presence of disparity becomes not only a threat, but can also become harmful to the actions that are already been taken in order to diminish poverty around the world, added to the discouragement of individuals and their own sense of fulfillment. (University of York, n.d.)

As one in fine people have already reported an act of descrimination of at least one kind prohibited by the international human rights law, inequality is present on individuals daily lives. This impact on a society’s sense of self-worth leads to further implications that affect a country. Thus, inequalities are seen not only among nations but also within. 

Strategies 

In order to tackle the issue of inequality, different strategies are proposed as a solution. As the matter goes not only within countries - where the approach concentrates on empowering social and economic growth by creating equal opportunities - but also among nations - where policies are conducted to ensure the representation of developing countries. Thus, strategies that cover different scopes must be developed in order to reach the different areas of inequality. It might not be possible to find a one-fits-all solution, but rather different methods could be introduced to tackle a variety of issues.

Strategy one. Although many resources in today´s world are being driven to the right causes as health, and education it is noted that illicit outflows of cash are common, therefore, the inappropriate conduct of resources creates a problem. Thus, following the strategy of stopping such outflows can cause a major impact on reducing inequalities. For example, in numbers published by the Global Financial Integrity, the amount lost in developing countries from illegal cash flows from 2003 to 2012 summed at $6.6 trillion, which was diverted from investments in human capital, infrastructure, and economic growth. (Illicit Financial Flows from Developing Countries: 2003-2012 «Global Financial Integrity, 2014) As we live in a mostly capitalistic, and money-driven world, the personal gain of as many monetary funds as possible is for many individiuals seen as the ultimate objective, and not even legal boundaries prevent people from pursuing this goal. This egoistic behavior puts social causes at the bottom of the priority list and makes it more difficult to raise the necessary funds for positive projects. (Inequality.org, 2020)

Strategy two. Inequality is rising in rich countries now, after declining for much of the twentieth century. Not only are the richest one percent capturing a higher share of national income. Proportionally, wealthy people, nowadays, also give less back to their country through tax decreases over the last years for this group. How much should the wealthiest people be taxed? This is clearly a matter for citizens to determine at home, and opinions range. For example, economist Tony Addison proposes a top tax of 65 percent on the top one percent of income earners. This money could be used for the poorer population and thus reduce inequality through more people being able to take on opportunities that might be limited by financial possibilities. (Inequality.org, 2020)

Strategy three. In order to approximate the two income extremes, this third strategy suggests the creation of an international wealth tax, which would target people with enormous financial resources on a global level (Piketty, 2014). The idea of gradually taxing assets suggests that as wealth tends to accumulate over generations, these wealth taxes would have better use in order to combat inequality. Such gained funds, would not only limit the gap between the rich and the poor, but also allow investment in long-term solutions to facilitate disadvantaged groups to become more independent and work towards a better social standing. (Inequality.org, 2020)

Strategy four. Although most countries currently have a minimum wage, the enforcement of a national living wage can bring more equality to society. The creation of a living wage can bring more opportunities, allowing parents to support their children while they attend school, and these children to once achieve higher education levels and higher paying employments. Furthermore, the minimum wage is highly questionable, though having several exceptions, for example paying students and released prisoners below the set level. Even if those exceptions didn´t exist several researches suggest that in many countries minimum wage is insufficient to live a satisfactory life. (Iacurci, 2021) (Inequality.org, 2020)

Strategy five. Workers' rights to organize have historically been a cornerstone of more equitable societies, and they should be valued and defended whenever this fundamental right is abused. Standing up for fair pay, appropriate working hours, and pleasant working conditions, creates a level of fairness and equality. Workers must be disempowered in order for extreme inequality to exist. As a result, the ability of workers to organize and bargain collectively for improved wages and working conditions is a top issue for international human rights organizations. Despite the fact that Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights defines the freedom to organize as a fundamental human right, workers around the world, including in the United States, continue to endure intimidation, fear, and retaliation for attempting to form a union. Wages are higher and inequality is lower in areas where unions are dominant. As this research shows, a functional way to increase equality would be to have worker representation in more countries and enable them with enough power to actually make an impact. (Inequality.org, 2020)

Strategy six. Companies all across the world are likewise replacing permanent and stable jobs with temporary and contingent labor. These workers, often known as "contingent" or "precarious" workers, supply a persistent labor requirement despite being refused employment status. This practice is known as "misclassification" in the United States, where businesses misclassify workers as "independent contractors" when they are actually employees. Outsourcing, subcontracting, and the use of employment agencies are all examples of contingent labor. This might decrease costs and reliability for businesses, but it has an enormous negative impact on people with such contracts and forms of employment. (Inequality.org, 2020) An example of where this missclassification led to a lawsuit are the transportation companies Uber and Lyft in Massachusetts. Synoptically, this means although there might be short-term financial advantages for businesses, at least their reputation, as well as the worker concerned will suffer long-term consequences. (Sonnemaker, 2021)

Strategy seven. International trade agreements must no longer be negotiated behind closed doors with only bureaucrats and corporate lobbyists in attendance. These antiquated trade agreements are essentially undemocratic, putting corporate profits ahead of workers, the environment, health, and the public good. A new, open, transparent, and accountable trade policy is required. This means that smaller and less influential countries might get fairer deals due to the global exposure of those trade agreements.  (Inequality.org, 2020)

Strategy eight. Economists are frequently portrayed as stodgy academics who place a premium on arcane economic theory over humanitarian ideals. The Washington Consensus and the global financial system that crumbled in 2008 were winners thanks to the field's adhering to flimsy notions. Fortunately, a movement among economics graduate students and scholars is attempting to rethink the profession. We certainly need a new economics that strives to enhance the lives of everyone, not just the wealthy, as they acknowledge. What could be more radical than Buddhist economics, for example? This is the approach advocated by E.F. Schumacher, an economist and Rhodes Scholar who believes that humanity requires an economics that provides riches for all people, not just money for the wealthy and companies. Economics should consider ethics and the environment, and its statements should be treated less like absolute facts. (Inequality.org, 2020)

Strategy nine. Considering the unbalanced level of access to health in the societies - many times affected by the level of income - the implementation of a free universal health care (present in a few countries only nowadays) introduces the possibility of creating an equality bar to an essential human right of individuals. 

Strategy ten. As education is the basis for the progress of any individual or nation, it is often even referred to as the mirror of the economy. This can be seen in the high economic development that was observed in South Korea, in which a free education system was established in the country and now shows a nearly 100% level of literacy. Thus, in order to provide better opportunities to individuals, offering a free and proper educational system since an early age can lower the levels of disparity in nations. 

Conclusion

The issue of inequality is complex as it considers a large scope, yet tackling it is crucial when aiming for progress. Thus, bringing the different strategies allows touching on the different areas of the matter, and making change can be significant. One alone might not make a huge impact on the overall problem, however when implementing more, or even all of them, great progress can be achieved. The issue of inequality will most likely always exist, or at least not disappear within our lifetime. However, even small steps toward a better future can mean a lot to individuals or disadvantaged groups that might be able to experience a better life based on gained resources or support by their community or government. The word humane, which means acting like a human, being empathatetic and caring about other’s needs, has now become less important in our society. It is important to understand that we are all the same, no matter race, gender, religion, or any other factors, we are all humans and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, and have a chance to pursue a serial life.  

References

Cambridge Dictionary (2021) CambridgeWords https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/inequality

Sin Yee, Koh (2020) International Encyclopedia of Human Geography 2020 10.1016/b978-0-08-102295-5.10196-9 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780081022955101969

Oecd.org (2019)  https://www.oecd.org/social/inequality.htm

Mendes, Marcos (2015) Inequality, Democracy and Growth in Brazil 10.1016/b978-0-12-801951-1.00002-1 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128019511000021

World Bank, Development Research Group (2011) Worldbank.org https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI

OECD (2015) 10.1787/9789264235120-en 9789264232662 https://read.oecd-ilibrary.org/employment/in-it-together-why-less-inequality-benefits-all_9789264235120-en#page23

Martin. “Reduce Inequality within and among Countries - United Nations Sustainable Development.” United Nations Sustainable Development, 23 July 2020, www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/inequality/. Accessed 6 Dec. 2021.

“Illicit Financial Flows from Developing Countries: 2003-2012 «Global Financial Integrity.” Global Financial Integrity, 2014, web.archive.org/web/20170809095731/www.gfintegrity.org/report/2014-global-report-illicit-financial-flows-from-developing-countries-2003-2012. Accessed 6 Dec. 2021.

“Eight Ways to Reduce Global Inequality - Inequality.org.” Inequality.org, 21 Oct. 2020, inequality.org/great-divide/8-ways-reduce-global-inequality/. Accessed 6 Dec. 2021.

“37 Causes, Effects & Solutions for Global Inequality - E&C.” E&C, 21 May 2020, environmental-conscience.com/causes-effects-solutions-for-global-inequality/. Accessed 6 Dec. 2021.

Iacurci, G. (2021, March 2). The $7.25 minimum wage can't pay all the Bills in any State. CNBC. Retrieved December 6, 2021, from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/02/the-7point25-minimum-wage-doesnt-help-families-pay-the-bills-in-any-state.html. 

Education System in South Korea | Education in South Korea.” South-Korea.education, 7 July 2017, south-korea.education/education-system-in-south-korea/. Accessed 5 Dec. 2021.

Sonnemaker, T. (2021, March 25). Court rules uber and lyft must face worker-misclassification lawsuit from Massachusetts' attorney general. Business Insider. Retrieved December 7, 2021, from https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-massachusetts-attorney-general-misclassification-lawsuit-proceed-court-2021-3. 

University of York. (n.d.). Exposing the impact of social inequality. University of York. Retrieved December 7, 2021, from https://www.york.ac.uk/research/impact/social-inequality/#:~:text=Their%20research%20found%20that%20inequality,of%20violence%20and%20mental%20illness. 

Koh, S. Y. (2020). Inequality. Inequality - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. Retrieved December 6, 2021, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/inequality#:~:text=Inequality%20refers%20to%20the%20phenomenon,Geography%20(Second%20Edition)%2C%202020.