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Inequality
Summary
The existence of inequality feels so accepted it’s almost ignored. A fact of life that’s hiding just around the corner of most conversations, any moment at risk of bubbling over into unrest and dysfunction. Often the notion of equality wasn’t explicitly mentioned in the research, equity even less so. This could be due to when reports were written, or due to a perception that inequality is social and less central to industry conversations. Regardless, it touches all aspects of life.
Millions of people suffer from unequal distribution of, and access to, resources. Due to infrastructure, location, race, religion, or policy things like education, employment opportunities, housing, health care, food, water, and energy are inequitably and unequally doled out. These unequal distribution of benefits can lead to social and economic drivers of crime, less cohesive populations, increased polarization, and counter trends like “immigrant hostility and rising white nationalism”. The collective social understanding of concepts is shifting negatively and positively. Shared goals, ideas, and narratives are realigning, many toward trends where equity and equality conversations are increasingly valued, buoyed by emerging social justice/equity movements.
Inequality is not just a social issue, it exists between businesses, between nations, and it impacts development and economic growth from micro to macro scales. Inter-and intra-nationally, inequality is rising, and the impacts aren’t localized; one region’s relative equality can be reliant upon varying global conditions. When a country’s population heavily relies on funds sent home from citizens working abroad, immigration laws in the host country can negatively impact economic growth of developing economies. Or when the economy of an area is maintained by a dominant industry, it increases the vulnerability of those populations to events, like extreme weather, that limit or shut down their economy.
Increasingly, the attempts of governments and businesses to improve equity or equality are perceived as box-ticking exercises and it’s not hard to imagine why. When key players and affected communities aren’t allowed a seat at the table, leaders and elites are more incentivized to maintain their status quo, privilege, and governments and organizations “are often motivated to keep eligibility criteria narrow to limit the population to which the requirement applies”. (Record 485) The differences between ideas, how they’re legislated, and applied often span a range of realities. Navigating how to balance benefits and negative impacts is a challenge almost everyone can relate to. A step forward doesn’t always mean a reduction in inequality. When solutions are proposed in one area or industry or community, the repercussions of those decisions have ripple effects.
Visible and invisible structures perpetuate, reinforce, and amplify the effects and existence of inequality in our society, our governments, and our businesses. “Progress and regress go hand in hand” (record?) and finding an equitable balance will benefit individuals, nations, and business alike.
In Futures Research
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Emerging economies: demographic change by UK Government Office for Science focuses on the demographic changes occurring in emerging economies and their potential implications. It highlights the significant growth of the middle class and urban populations, as well as aging populations and increasing life expectancy. One of the impacts identified from these changes is poverty and the potential for extreme inequality.