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Our Dystopian Present - Graphically Conveyed with notes and our hope for alternatives choices for our future ..

Updated: Aug 4

Socio-Economic effects of Inequality

This initial segment of Graphs are drawn from the book "the Spirit level: why equality is better for everyone". It was written by two epidemiologists. Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson. Their studies across many Countries in Europe, the USA and the Asia Pacific are very revealing. Their work displays the many measurable detrimental effects of inequality upon different aspects of our complex social and economic lives.

We suggest the transition to a "Steady State Economy" has as a core aims to produce greater equity across our societies and thereby to deal with various aspects of the manefestations, of inequality, both upon Health, wealth, Income and other factors effecting social cohesion and wellbeing.


As Donnella Meadows (scientist and teacher) said of the findings of the "Limits to Growth" Report, released by the Club of Rome in the 1970s; when addressing our processes to envision a sustainable world: 

 “We need clarity about our goals. We need to know where we are going. We need to have vision. That vision has to be articulated, it has to be socially shared, and discussed and formulated.” (my emphasis added )


An important aspect of wellbeing within all and any society

We see below the gap between the top and bottom 20% of many of the countries in the developed world.

This is bar graph is from the book "The Spirit Level " Why equality is better for everyone " ( by Pickett, Kate; Wilkinson, Richard. The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone . Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition..)


Inequalities effects on health and other Social problems

We believe this information to be relevant and informative. These graphs are just a glimpse into the scale and effect of the problems caused by inequality, as manifested through the large disparaties between social groups. Further, we see above the nature of the variety of kinds of harm and social distress that inequality can cause.

In short this is but a glimpse of the measurable effects of inequality. More information in this subjec area is available in the Book itself : The Spirit Level " Why equality is better for everyone " ( by Pickett, Kate; Wilkinson, Richard. ).)


The planetary boundaries concept presents a set of nine planetary boundaries within which humanity can continue to develop and thrive for generations to come - if the boundaries are not overshot !

The information below comes from the Stockholm Resilience centre (see https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html )


It shows clearly our dire circumstance , as we have overshot many of our planetary boundaries. We hope this information stimulates a realisation of the need for Real solutions

not green washing. Ones based on clear goals, so that we step back and away from the abyss. The choices we now make, within the next few years, are a matter of paramount importance.

A transition to a more equitable society, an economy which grows via qualitative development, not quantitative growth based on -over production or over consumption - is both highly desirable and (we note) quite acheivable.


Our Planetary Boundaries have been overshoot in 6 our of the 9 systems .



The Trends in relation to our Socio-economic wellbeing & our Earths Systems health are clearly a matter of great concern.

Human activity, predominantly within our global economic system, is now the prime driver of change in the Earth System — the sum of our planet’s interacting physical, chemical, biological and human processes. This is the conclusion made visible in a set of 24 global indicators, or a “planetary dashboard”, charting the “Great Acceleration” in human activity from the start of the industrial revolution in 1750 to 2010, and the subsequent changes in the Earth System – e.g. greenhouse gas levels, ocean acidification, deforestation and biodiversity deterioration.
The post-1950 acceleration of the human imprint on the Earth Systems, particularly the 12 graphs that show changes in Earth System structure and functioning, have played a central role in the discussion around the formalisation of the "Anthropocene" as the next epoch in Earth history. .
This set of Graphs below is also the work of Will Steffan and other scientists..

Source: Anthropocene Review, 2015.


There is much more that we could say. But we hope this is a helpful glimpse of what we know of our problems. We clearly must take steps to address these Environmental, Social and economic problems. This situation is largely of our own making. Lets not dither...

To quote Herman Daly:

" The economy should not be viewed as an idiot machine dedicated to maximizing waste. Its ultimate purpose is the maintenance and enjoyment of life for a long time (not forever) at a sufficient level of wealth for a good (not luxurious) life."

Prof Herman Daly (a founder of ecological economics) 

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