ISBN: 978 1 78831 153 3

Inequality is widening. In the twenty-first century, the gap between those who have more and those who have less is growing: 1 per cent of the world owns as much as the other 99 per cent. Should we be worried? Chris argues that inequality does indeed matter: that economic fairness is one of the defining issues of our time. In a world conditioned by social media, enabling intensified social comparison, the anxieties and effects of contemporary inequality are a cause for huge concern.

Most studies of inequality have concentrated on its quantitative aspects. In A Question of Inequality Chris is concerned with exploring why inequality matters, what it means for those who find themselves victims of it, and what can be done about it. He probes what it means to experience inequality, drawing out case studies on the effects of poverty. The author maintains that human action is motivated by the pursuit of high value, that in our personal and social life we are concerned to establish, build and defend value in oneself. When external circumstances bring about a mismatch between this personal sense of worth and how society values us then problems begin. In proposing a field theory of social relativity the author provides new insights into the effects and meaning of inequality and makes an original and important contribution to a key issue facing the world today.