Word: rw
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...RW: Vermont or perhaps New Hampshire. But the point is that at any given level of income, education or occupational level, you are better off in a more-equal state. You will be less likely to have mental illness, and your children will be more likely to avoid drugs or teenage pregnancy, or become victims of violence...
...define income equality? RW: There are many measures. We compared the gap between the richest and poorest 20% of households in each society. You can use more sophisticated indicators like the gini index, but they produce broadly the same answers...
...emphasis on GDP growth misleading? RW: Increases in income and economic growth are important in poorer countries where food, shelter and clean water are important. But when it's a matter of getting more cars per household or higher-quality electronics, it doesn't translate to well-being...
...achieve more income equality in a market economy? RW: Some relatively equal societies, such as Japan, and some states such as New Hampshire have smaller differences between earnings before taxes and benefits. The other way is to start off like Sweden does - with large inequalities between earnings - and then redistribute wealth with high taxes and benefits. I think we need to do both. To reduce earning differences you need as many different forms of economic democracy as possible. We need to make it a bit more embarrassing for company directors to give themselves huge pay deals and bonuses while holding...
...believe an emphasis on economic equality could help the battle against climate change. How? RW: The biggest challenge to slowing carbon emissions is consumerism. Consumerism is driven by status competition and is intensified by inequality. Further, more-equal societies are more willing to think about the common good and to be more public-spirited. You can see this in terms of the proportion of waste recycled or the proportion of international development aid given. Both are greater in more-equal countries. In more-equal countries, business leaders are more likely to stress that their governments should abide by international environmental...