I don't know whether the poor care more about absolute than relative
improvements in incomes as Paul Ashyon suggests. Is there evidence to
support this?
But there is relevant evidence based upon what people actually do that does
appear to show that relative differences in income are crucial.
Increasing geographical inequalites in the distribution of unemployment
appear to indicate that those who become relative better off move out of
'inner city' type of areas. The relatively affluent leave the poorest
behind and/or leave the 'inner city' type areas to be occupied by new
members of relatively low income groups.
The term 'inner city' type area is used to refer to the concentrations of
high unemployment rates that exist in virtually all urban areas but which
rarely exist in non-urban areas.
Ray Thomas
35 Passmore, Tinkers Bridge, Milton Keynes MK6 3DY
Email: [log in to unmask]
Tel/Fax 01908 679081
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Ashton" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 11:51 PM
Subject: Re: Fw: UK health inequalities - Guardian report
>Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2005 08:53:28 +1200
>From: "Peter Davis (ARTS SOC)" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: Fw: UK health inequalities - Guardian report
>...But let us note that under the current government there has been, in
>contrast to the previous administration, a dramatic decline in
>unemployment..
Just for the record, the drop in unemployment during the five years of the
last Conservative government's period of office (1992 -1997) was greater
than
in the first 5 years of Labour's, both in absolute numbers (750,000 against
525,000) and in the percentage drop (down by 27pc against 26pc). Figures
from
the LFS.
On the broader point , why should we expect falls in unemployment
('dramatic'
or otherwise), reductions in child poverty, and redistribution of income to
the poor to lead to 'corresponding reductions in health inequality'? What we
should expect, and what ministers no doubt believe has happened, is that the
least well-off should experience an improvement in their health, relative
not
particularly to the better-off but to what their health was before the said
changes. Inequalities matter more to academic social scientists than they do
to the poor, who care more about absolute improvements rather than relative
ones.
Paul Ashton
[log in to unmask]
2005-09-14
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