Inequality
Why have a section on inequality in Democracy Alert?
The principle drive for democracy in past centuries was economic. In societies that knew only luxury goods for the rich and subsistence for the poor, achieving universal citizenship was fundamental to achieving a more equitable distribution of wealth. A great deal was achieved in the first half of the 20th century in terms of both reducing inequality and strengthening democracy. But inequality is now growing at an alarming rate. Here are summaries of two perspectives on this alarming trend.
The principle drive for democracy in past centuries was economic. In societies that knew only luxury goods for the rich and subsistence for the poor, achieving universal citizenship was fundamental to achieving a more equitable distribution of wealth. A great deal was achieved in the first half of the 20th century in terms of both reducing inequality and strengthening democracy. But inequality is now growing at an alarming rate. Here are summaries of two perspectives on this alarming trend.
Thomas Piketty's Capital in the 21st Century
Thomas Piketty, in his meticulously researched 700-page book, Capital in the 21st century, examines the grand dynamics that are driving inequality. Click here for a summary (in point form) of his conclusions.
The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class
Have you heard of the precariat? Perhaps you are already a member but don’t know it? Click here for a summary of University of London Professor Guy Standing's book "The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class".
Those who have vs. those who have not
In early March (2016) the CBC accessed a secret, highly censored government report which detailed how the wealth of young people has increased overall since the 1980s. The richest 10% of adults under 34 now own 70% of that age group's wealth. Click here to read our analysis of how little the majority of young people have, and why that is unlikely to change, both in the country as a whole and in our province.
