Example of inequality
It’s really greed that causes inequality. Someone gets the idea to capitalize on something....let's take Walmart for example. Sam Walton got the idea to create a store that had everything in it. That idea expanded to an international corporation that has one goal: profit. Now Walmart isn't "evil" because it's a corporation. And Americans demand lots of cheap goods, regardless of where the products of those goods were made. So CEO's and their families live on millions of dollars a year. The employees of most Walmart’s make a dollar an hour above minimum wage. So many live right at the poverty line a year. Can Walmart afford to pay its employees better and offer better health benefits? Of course it can, but that would cut into the profits and the CEO's will not get quite as many millions the following year.
How do the lives of ordinary citizens in the countries at the top and the bottom of the ladder compare?
Norway: There are strict labour laws and there is a strong emphasis within society on the quality of free time.
People in Norway have wide, open spaces to enjoy and traffic is no problem. The provision of essential services is good - healthcare is affordable and mainly run by the state sector. It's the same with education, most people opt for state education - hardly anyone uses the private sector. There are good social security provisions and few people fall outside the system - there is a safety net for everyone. Childcare, which is provided by the state, and maternity leave are among the best in Europe - the country is well-designed for young families. Norway is one of the largest consuming nations in the world, particularly electronics - electricity is cheap because there is a lot of renewable energy. However, some people do have complaints - taxes, for example, are high and the cost of food and drink is high. We don't go out much to restaurants. But the priority for the government has always been to keep the state sector strong and to ensure that Norway is an equal society - that there is not too much of a gap between the rich and the poor.
Sierra leone:
There is massive unemployment in Sierra Leone
Hunger is common, and around one in five people survive on less than a dollar a day. Electricity is virtually non-existent and many people cannot afford fuel, heating or proper housing. Access to water is restricted. Most people rely on streams or wells, which are often a long way from their homes. Healthcare is too expensive. And while the cost is starting to fall, most people will still be unable to afford it. As a result, life expectancy stands at barely 39 years. Access to other essential services, such as education, is improving. The years of civil war closed most of the schools. The literacy rate is low and education is seen as a priority by President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. Little by little, people are beginning to send their children back to school. There is a big difference between the rich and the poor. In the cities, the professional classes are relatively well-off.
Quality of life Europe
The UK has been named the worst place to live in Europe for quality of life, behind countries with damaged economies such as Ireland and Italy. The UK emerged as having the second lowest hours of sunshine a year, the fourth highest retirement age, and the third lowest spend on health as a percentage of GDP. Despite above average household income – the fourth highest in Europe – Britons have 5.5 fewer days holiday a year than the European average and tolerate a below average government spend on education. UK households also struggle with a high cost of living, with food and diesel prices the highest in Europe, alcohol and cigarettes all costing more than the European average.
France is considered the best place to live in Europe for quality of life, despite families earning an average £31,767 (compared to the UK's £38,547) and working longer hours than people in the UK. But the French enjoy 2,124 hours of sunshine, have an average retirement age of 60, and receive 36 days of holiday a year. They also live a year longer than Brits, with an average life expectancy of 81.4 years compared to 80.4 in the UK. People in France, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands are all expect to live longer than people in the UK.