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SECTION 1 2 3
EXTREME INEQUALITY
on the quality of life of individuals and communities, especially for women
and marginalized groups.
Violence, and equally the fear of violence, often leads to people cutting
themselves off from the rest of society, something that is most starkly
illustrated by people living in gated communities. As Joan Clos, the Director
of UN-Habitat puts it: ‘The gated community represents the segregation of
the population. Those who are gated are choosing to gate, to differentiate,
to protect themselves from the rest of the city.’ 253
INEQUALITY PUTS THE LIVES OF THE POOREST AT RISK
IN CRISES AND DISASTERS
Risk is not shared equally across society; the most vulnerable and
marginalized are more affected by crises, pushing them further into
poverty. Those who are hit hardest in times of crisis are always the
poorest, because they spend a much higher proportion of their income
on food and do not have access to welfare or social protection schemes,
insurance, or savings to help them withstand an emergency.
Extreme inequality of wealth and power also drives national and
international policies that shelter the rich from risk, passing this on
to the poor and powerless. Countries with higher levels of economic
inequality have more vulnerable populations. 254
Inequality between countries explains why 81 percent of disaster deaths
are in low-income and lower-middle income countries, even though they
account for only 33 percent of disasters. 255
“
Our approach has been
to look to reduce inequalities.
That is at the centre of
our policies on Disaster
Risk Reduction, because
inequality just increases
vulnerability.
MARÍA CECILIA RODRIGUÉZ
MINISTER OF SECURITY,
ARGENTINA 256
“
THE EQUALITY INSTINCT
Across the world, religion, literature, folklore and philosophy show remarkable
confluence in their concern that the gap between rich and poor is inherently
unfair and morally wrong. That this concern with distribution is so prevalent
across different cultures and societies suggests a fundamental preference
for fairness and equitable societies.
One of the most influential modern political philosophers, John Rawls, asks us
to imagine that we are under a ‘veil of ignorance’ and know nothing about the
various advantages, social or natural, that we are born into. What principles of
a good society would we then agree on One of the most convincing principles
that emerges from this thought experiment, states that, ‘Social and economic
inequalities are to be arranged so that they [societies] are both (a) to the
greatest expected benefit of the least advantaged and (b) attached to offices
and positions open to all under conditions of fair equality of opportunity.’ 257
Our preference for fairness and equality are further demonstrated by surveys
from around the world, which consistently show a desire for more equitable
societies. 258 An Oxfam survey across six countries (Spain, Brazil, India, South
Africa, the UK and the USA) found that a majority of people believe that
the distance between the wealthiest in society and the rest is too great.
In Brazil, 80 percent agreed with that statement.
“
To be wealthy and
honoured in an
unjust society
is a disgrace.
MAHATMA GANDHI
“
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