Isabelle Thorpe (Bristol Cathedral Choir School) reviews Danny Dorling's 'Do We Need Economic Inequality?'

This book expertly challenges one of the often-unquestioned principles of economics, that some level of inequality is needed for a successful economy. Danny Dorling introduces this subject engagingly and in a way that is easily accessible even to those with very little understanding of economics such as myself. The subject matter of the book was heavy hitting and lays bare many of the issues within our society and others. However, Dorling ends with an optimistic look to the future where he gives an idea of the positive work being done in many places to try to reduce inequality. Overall, an excellent and insightful read that doesn’t shy away from the truth. 

 

Something I agreed with in this book was...

The correlations found between inequality and some of the social and political issues such as health and carbon footprint.

 

Something I disagreed with in this book was...

The assumption that all readers begin the book opposing inequality.

 

Something I learnt from reading this book that I didn’t know about this subject before was...

That inequality in the USA and UK has been steadily increasing since the 1970s.