Greater Equality: The Hidden Key to Better Health and Higher Scores by Wilkinson and Pickett - Essay Example

Greater Equality: The Hidden Key to Better Health and Higher Scores Inserts His/Her Inserts Grade Inserts ’s Name (21, December, 2011) Introduction It is usually believed that health and mortality rate is closely linked to the health care expenditure of a country. This however is incorrect and authors Wilkinson & Pickett (2011) have talked about this very topic in their article ‘Greater Equality’. Equality in distribution of wealth can play a positive impact on the health of the residents of a country. Greater inequality in a society results in higher mortality rates and makes the society unhealthy as a whole compared to a society where wealth is equally distributed. There are a host of other social problems that income inequality promotes in a society. These problems include obesity, mental illness, children’s educational performance, teenage births, homicides, imprisonment rates, and social mobility. The purpose of choosing this topic is to inform readers that income inequality in a society creates many social problems. This article provides valuable insights on the problems society faces today and this is why I was attracted towards this topic. The authors are both Professors teaching in reputable universities. Kate Pickett is also a scientist with UKs National Institute for Health Research. Greater Equality: The Hidden Key to Better Health and Higher Scores Inequality breeds many problems in a society because the majority of people are not satisfied with the distribution of wealth. Authors have made this point quite convincingly in their article. The paper is an eye opener for policy makers as it sheds light on the dark side of inequality. Unequal distribution of wealth does not affect the poor rather it affects the majority of population. It is generally assumed that only poor get affected as a result of an unequal society however in reality majority affected, reason being the concentration of wealth in the hands of few. Authors have also showed through research that wealth does not play a role in lower mortality rates and high health standards. Wealthy nations have lower mortality rates and lower infant mortality rates only if they have income equality. This is explained through the example of United States and Greece. United States of America has a much higher GDP than Greece but mortality rates in Greece are lower than United States. Authors have used studies and research to make their point against income inequality. Health standards can deteriorate if income is not justly distributed in a society therefore equality has that much more importance. Apart from health authors found out that there are host of other problems associated with income inequality. Prison expenditure increased greatly with increasing inequality in United States. When a greater number of people feel that they are deprived of their rights they are able to rationalize their criminal actions. Crime rates increase significantly when inequality increases according to the authors. This means that balance of society is disturbed when inequalities exist. It is important, therefore, to understand that inequality can cause greater problems than what is generally assumed. Also when prison expenditure increases majority of the people miss out on better health facilities and educational facilities. People are not able to use their tax money on things that are of most value to them in the long run. Prisoners are a burden on the society because they take up resources of the government and also because they do not contribute to the society. This two pronged assault of prisoners make them highly undesirable for a society and all this inflates with inequality. Authors have used all means to remain objective in their research and have not written anything without evidence. They have also been careful in not over generalizing the evidence they got. An important aspect of co-relational data is that it does not provide causation. Authors have therefore taken many variables into account and have compared data from many US states in order to find out whether social problems are linked to income inequality. The authors have also compared states so that all uncontrollable factors are taken into account and objectivity of the article remains. The relationship between equality and educational performance is also discussed in detail in the article. Adults living in countries that are relatively equal are less affected by their parent’s education than adults from unequal countries. Also if parents are not highly educated then country inequality plays a major role in adult educational success (Willms, 1999). This shows how far ramifications of inequality go for the people. Even educational success is negatively affected as a result of inequality. This also means that in unequal societies lower classes have limited opportunities to excel. Authors have based their work on theory as well as on research. First through research facts are portrayed and then an attempt has been made to link the research findings with theory. There is no comprehensive theoretical framework in the article but theory is given only to support the research findings. Theory is also used to explain the possible reasons of correlation between inequality and social problems. Theory is used to guide public policy so that the issue can be curtailed. The evidence base for the article is the United States, UK, and other countries like Japan, Greece, and Finland etc. Data is taken from reputable studies and from sources like World Health Organization, United Nations, and World Bank. Authors have remained objective throughout the article and have used empirical data to back up their claims. The reliance on data makes the article academic in nature and therefore reliable. Validity of the research is also maintained because right sources are used. No one can collect data better than organizations like United Nations because they have great resources and expertise. Article is lacking illustration of theory to a certain extent. Authors have not given justice to theory and have given more findings. More theory should have been used to illustrate and explain the findings and possible solutions. Solutions are only discussed in the end briefly. Authors should have discussed solutions more with the help theory. Conclusion The article by Wilkinson & Pickett (2011) focuses on income inequality in countries and its impact on health, education, and other social issues. Research suggests that unequal societies tend to have a higher mortality rate, higher crime and imprisonment rate than comparatively equal societies. The authors have done great research and have also cited secondary sources throughout the article which increases the objectivity of the article. The validity and reliability of the evidence base is also satisfactory. Bibliography Wilkinson, R. & Pickett, K. 2011. Greater Equality: The Hidden Key to Better Health and Higher Scores. American Educator: 5-9 Willms, J. Douglas. 1999. Quality and Inequality in Children’s Literacy: The Effects of Families Schools, and Communities. In Developmental Health and the Wealth of Nations: Social, Biological, and Educational Dynamics, ed. Daniel P. Keating and Clyde Hertzman. New York: Guildford Press Read More