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The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better Paperback – 10 January 2011

by Kate Pickett (Author), Richard Wilkinson (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars 1,160
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A groundbreaking work on the root cause of our ills, which is changing the way politicians think

Why do we mistrust people more in the UK than in Japan? Why do Americans have higher rates of teenage pregnancy than the French? What makes the Swedish thinner than the Greeks? The answer- inequality.

This groundbreaking book, based on years of research, provides hard evidence to show-

- How almost everything - from life expectancy to depression levels, violence to illiteracy - is affected not by how wealthy a society is, but how equal it is
- That societies with a bigger gap between rich and poor are bad for everyone in them - including the well-off
- How we can find positive solutions and move towards a happier, fairer future

Urgent, provocative and genuinely uplifting, The Spirit Level has been heralded as providing a new way of thinking about ourselves and our communities, and could change the way you see the world.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    400 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Penguin Press
  4. Publication date
    10 January 2011
  5. Dimensions
    12.9 x 2.34 x 19.63 cm
  6. ISBN-10
    0241954290
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0241954294
  8. See all details
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About the Author

Richard Wilkinson has played a formative role in international research and his work has been published in 10 languages. He studied economic history at the London School of Economics before training in epidemiology and is Professor Emeritus at the University of Nottingham Medical School and Honorary Professor at University College London.

Kate Pickett is a Professor of Epidemiology at the University of York and a National Institute for Health Research Career Scientist. She studied physical anthropology at Cambridge, nutritional sciences at Cornell and epidemiology at Berkeley before spending four years as an Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago. Her work, with Richard Wilkinson, on The Spirit Level was shortlisted for Research Project of the Year 2009 by the Times Higher Education Supplement, and their book was chosen as one of the Top Ten Books of the Decade, by the New Statesman.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Press; 1st edition (10 January 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0241954290
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0241954294
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 12.9 x 2.34 x 19.63 cm
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,160

About the authors

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Previous page
  1. Richard G. Wilkinson

    Richard G. Wilkinson

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Richard Wilkinson has played a formative role in international research and his work has been published in 10 languages. He studied economic history at the London School of Economics before training in epidemiology and is Professor Emeritus at the University of Nottingham Medical School and Honorary Professor at University College London. Kate Pickett is a Senior Lecturer at the University of York and a National Institute for Health Research Career Scientist. She studied physical anthropology at Cambridge, nutritional sciences at Cornell and epidemiology at Berkeley before spending four years as an Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Kate Pickett

    Kate Pickett

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs, and more

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Top reviews from Australia

David Gifford
5.0 out of 5 stars Most important book you will ever read
Reviewed in Australia on 21 April 2021
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A must read for everyone. This book meticulously and powerfully makes the case that equality, enabled by a reduction in unnecessary consumerism and capitalism, benefits us all. The authors are very understated but I believe have made the strongest possible case for what “society” should actually mean in the 21st century, a stunning achievement. Whatever you are doing, stop it now and read this book. You won’t regret it.
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Chris Macfarlane
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Book. If you only read one book this should be at the top of the list!
Reviewed in Australia on 21 June 2021
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This book provides a detailed evidence informed readable insight into society. It provides a guide to how the function of society impacts individual lives. If you want to do something about having a better society as well as impacting your own longevity and health, then this is the book for you!
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grantiej
5.0 out of 5 stars What makes a society great? I've never thought it was how rich the ...
Reviewed in Australia on 8 June 2015
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What makes a society great? I've never thought it was how rich the rich were, for me it was how Society treated the poor, the disadvantaged, and I believed that this determined the greatness. The Spirit level spells out the truth. I've always thought that society had more than a duty to care, that such was always going to provide more than it cost. Read this book, and look at your countries Governance. Your children need you to read and act.
2 people found this helpful
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Veloaficionado
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good overview of a pressing and current set of problems.
Reviewed in Australia on 13 September 2014
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Still reading it, but a lot of good information presented in a readable way, which is rare for a book on demographics and epidemiology. Well written, but rather dense, which is why I'm taking a bit longer than normal in reading it, because I want to remember all the many important points in it.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Breda68
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent seller
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 December 2023
Verified Purchase
Arrived on time just as described. All good.
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O.A.
5.0 out of 5 stars Equality Matters
Reviewed in Germany on 25 June 2020
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The book explains and convinces the reader, that equality is single most important indicator for the wellbeing of people. It‘s a must read for everybody interested in politics.
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MPHに挑戦中
3.0 out of 5 stars 日本人としては違和感
Reviewed in Japan on 24 July 2022
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ひとことで言うと主要国の所得格差と、身体的・社会的健康の関連性を調べた研究です。
英国の格差問題に取り組む、「The Equality Trust」の2人の疫学専門家が執筆した本です。
格差がない社会、みなが平等（Equal）である社会がよりよいことを９つの指標（互いを信頼できるか、平均寿命、肥満、Social mobility：社会的階級の移動しやすさ、等）を用いて示しています。

少々ネタバレですが、調査した20国あまりの国で最も格差がないのが日本でした。
９つの指標を統合して複合的なOutcomeとした場合に、もっとも成績がよいのも日本でした。

以下、レビュー・・・というより感想文としてお読みいただければ。
全体として内容に納得できるところが多く、平等な社会がいいということもよくわかり、理論もよかったと思います。やや強気すぎる書き方ですが、言っていることには大方頷けるので、高評価である理由もわかります。ただ、以下の理由で星３つです。
１．英語が読みにくい
　自分は英語圏で生活していた年数が長いので、あまり読書に苦労することもありませんでしたが、本書の英語は読みにくかったです。文章が長く、句読点の位置があまり効果的でなく、同じことを訴える文章が多いので、特にPart２以降は読みにくいと感じてしまいました。（やはり自分の能力がないだけかもしれませんが・・・）
２．Equalityがよいのは分かるけど、日本人にはピンとこない
　格差の大きいUKやUSAの読者にとっては、力強いメッセージだったのではないかなと思いますが、日本の社会に慣れている人にはピンとこない内容も多いと感じました。どの章でも暗に「日本はいい国だ」ということを示唆しているところも多く、ちょっと誇らしく思う反面、提示された９つの指標だけで「Better」だというのはちょっと強引でやや単純だなと思ってしまいます。たとえば日本の超高齢化社会についてどう思っているのか、著者たちに聞いてみたいところです。

ほかにもツッコミたいところがありますが主なところだけ書いておきます。
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Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Buena lectura
Reviewed in Spain on 9 January 2016
Verified Purchase
Buen libro para profundizar en los efectos de la desigualdad en la sociedad. Al final, todos salimos perdiendo cuando la sociedad es desigual.
One person found this helpful
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rahul
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in India on 3 March 2015
Verified Purchase
Really nice book, explains the structural reasons and effect on societies...
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