A staggering rise in wealth disparity has transformed New Zealand from one of the developed world’s most equal nations to one of the most unequal. Inequality is one of the most powerful forces shaping New Zealand: it harms the lives of thousands and, the evidence suggests, makes us all worse off. International bestseller, The Spirit Level, argued in 2009 that income inequality is the biggest single cause of a huge range of social problems, including mental illness, crime and infant mortality. In contrast, societies with small gaps between rich and poor are consistently the healthiest, best educated and most free of crime. Inequality: A New Zealand Crisis addresses these questions in the New Zealand context, bringing together a range of evidence, commentary and journalism. The book will show the direct effect that inequality has on real lives, but also use the rigour of academic research to examine the structure and causes of New Zealand’s inequality.
