Most of us, politicians and commentators included, are in favour of reducing levels of inequality. Yet this has little impact on the reality. The average person in the ten richest countries of the world spends in a single week more than those in the poorest ten earn in a year. And even in rapidly growing economies like India greater prosperity is allied with increasing inequality.
Should we conclude that we don't in fact believe in reducing inequality, but simply want to be attached to the moral intent without any serious plan to deliver it? Is there an economic solution that can enable greater prosperity but reduce inequality? Or must we urgently redouble our efforts to rectify the situation accepting radical changes in lifestyles?
Nobel prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, New Statesman journalist and author of Financialisation Grace Blakeley, and influential UK Labour MP and leadership candidate Lisa Nandy examine our commitments to global equality.