"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, represents, in the final analysis, from those who hunger and are not fed, who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children." Dwight D. Eisenhower

The Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality makes Societies Stronger
by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett

The Spirit Level is by far one of the most enlightening books every written about the root cause of poverty, obesity, depression, violence and teen pregnancy-- inequality. The authors share thirty years of research that proves conclusively that more equal societies are healthier than those that that are focused on escalating consumerism.

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK and USA are compared side by side. Four countries consistently prove to be fairer with healthier populations-- Japan, Sweden, Norway and Finland. The USA and Portugal consistently prove to be the least just and most unhealthy of all of the countries.

Inequality in the workforce is addressed powerfully. In 1950 the average CEO made 25x’s his workers' salaries; today, CEOs make 350xs their workers' salaries. The authors refute the illusion that "rainmakers" deserve 350x's the benefits:

“Nor should we allow ourselves to believe that the rich are scarce and precious members of a superior race of more intelligent beings on whom the rest of us are dependent. That is merely an illusion that wealth and power create.” (page 162)

While unequal countries attribute personal success to one's abilities, more equal countries attribute success to a mixture of timing and talent and have more empathy for those that are temporarily down their luck. Countries with greater equality do not send a message to those who are needy to fend for themselves, nor do they call those who are disabled “lazy." (Helping one another in equitable countries is not denigrated; the needy aren't called "moochers.")

Male-dominated societies do not fare well under their examination; states in which women have low political participation, low employment and earnings, low social and economic autonomy are shown to have the highest number of teen pregnancies despite their desire to uphold "family values." The states with the lowest scores were in the Bible belt-- AL, KY, LA, MS, and TN.

Without a doubt, The Spirit Level proves that inequality tears apart the social fabric of a society by setting up an “us” and “them” mindset that causes emotional and physical distress; the few at the top appear to benefit in the short term, but a distrustful society will not endure. The false values of mammon and consumerism cause depression, substance abuse, children to have children out of wedlock to feel some sense of being loved, personality disorders, violence, and obesity caused from the stress of keeping up with the “haves” in order to gain respect and access to opportunities.

Anyone interested in activism for a healthier society should read this book which lays bare the fact that of all the industrialized countries, the USA is the one that most needs to become more equitable.