GP Short Notes

GP Short Notes # 672, 9 October 2022

Reducing Inequality Index 2022: Three Takeaways
Ankit Singh

On 11 October, OXFAM and Development Finance International (DFI) published “The Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index 2022” report. It ranks 161 countries in their efforts to reduce inequality. According to the report, Norway tops the list followed by Germany and Australia. The bottom three countries are Nigeria, Liberia, and South Sudan. The report recognizes the top 10 countries as the well-off OECD countries that spend more on public services and social protection. However, they rank lower on individual indices. For example, Norway ranks 12th on public services as it spends very little on education and healthcare. The bottom-ranking countries are low-income countries that cannot afford to spend on public services amid their political and internal crises. 

Three takeaways

First, three essentials to address inequality. The report highlights three pillars essential to reducing inequality: public services, tax progressivity, and labour rights and wages. Public services refer to social protection, education, and health. Tax progressiveness refers to the implementation of policies and their impact on inequality. Labour rights and wages include the laws and policies concerning labourers and the minimum wage to be given to them. These also include the right to form unions and be offered social protection by law. 

Second, the impact of COVID-19 on inequality. The pandemic affected the lower strata of society adversely. Significant money was diverted from social measures to fight the pandemic, and many countries decreased their spending on health to address other issues. During the pandemic, the rich nearly doubled their wealth. Many countries did not increase the tax rates for the rich. There was also a drop in the amount of tax collected. Countries failed to increase the minimum wage in line with rising inflation and GDP. All of this led to an increase in inequality and a reduction in the measures to fight inequality by governments. 

Third, recommendations by Oxfam to reduce inequality. The recommendations are broadly divided into two categories: for the government and the international community. This mixed set of recommendations covers all three pillars. They are radical as they aim to drastically reduce inequality to prevent things from getting worse due to the new crisis. All the recommendations can be applied; however, it would not be easy due to different countries having different economies and incomes. Some of the recommendations include increasing income tax on the rich, accelerating spending on public health care and free education, and ensuring that all national policies focus on reducing inequality through the IMF.     

31 August 2023 | GP Short Notes # 730
Colombia: One year of “total peace” plan
26 August 2023 | GP Short Notes # 728
Niger: Continuing standoff
20 August 2023 | GP Short Notes # 727
Ethiopia: Another conflict in Amhara

20 August 2023 | GP Short Notes # 726
Moscow conference on international security
17 August 2023 | GP Short Notes # 724
Hawaii: The wildfires
17 August 2023 | GP Short Notes # 723
Ecuador: Increasing political violence

13 August 2023 | GP Short Notes # 722
Amazon Summit: A united front for saving the rainforest
13 August 2023 | GP Short Notes # 721
Japan-Australia's Reciprocal Access Agreement
10 August 2023 | GP Short Notes # 719
The War in Ukraine: Escalation after drone attacks

10 August 2023 | GP Short Notes # 718
Niger: Standoff after the coup
27 July 2023 | GP Short Notes # 717
Protests over Judicial Reforms in Israel
27 July 2023 | GP Short Notes # 716
Kenya: Anti-government protests turn violent
27 July 2023 | GP Short Notes # 715
Niger: Another Coup 

20 July 2023 | GP Short Notes # 713
Syria: Stalemate over Aid extension
6 July 2023 | GP Short Notes # 709
Israel: Violence in Jenin
6 July 2023 | GP Short Notes # 708
Mali: Termination of the UN Mission - MINUSMA
2 July 2023 | GP Short Notes # 706
Pakistan: Finally, a deal with the IMF
2 July 2023 | GP Short Notes # 705
France: Summit for a New Global Financing Pact 
2 July 2023 | GP Short Notes # 704
New High Seas Treaty: Beyond National Jurisdiction 
29 June 2023 | GP Short Notes # 703
Sudan: Nine Ceasefires, No Solution in Sight

29 June 2023 | GP Short Notes # 702
Russia: Rise and Fall of the Wagner Revolt
25 June 2023 | GP Short Notes # 701
Russia: Anatomy of Wagner Revolt, and its Fallouts
22 June 2023 | GP Short Notes # 699
Greece: Migrant boat disaster and humanitarian crisis

22 June 2023 | GP Short Notes # 698
Uganda: Resurging insurgency
11 June 2023 | GP Short Notes # 696
The Debt crisis in Pakistan
11 June 2023 | GP Short Notes # 695
Domestic instability in Colombia

11 June 2023 | GP Short Notes # 694
Political Crises in Maldives
8 June 2023 | GP Short Notes # 693
Canada: Raging Wildfires and its fallouts
5 June 2023 | GP Short Notes # 692
The US: Debt Ceiling Notches up higher
5 June 2023 | GP Short Notes # 691
Turkey's Election: Erdogan's reign to continue

5 June 2023 | GP Short Notes # 690
North Korea: Nuclear, Missile and now Space
1 June 2023 | GP Short Notes # 687
Violence in Kosovo: Dangers of Escalation
1 June 2023 | GP Short Notes # 686
Russia and Ukraine: A New Drone Warfare

28 May 2023 | GP Short Notes # 684
G7 Summit: Unity, Polarization and Challenges
28 May 2023 | GP Short Notes # 683
Thailand elections: Victory of democracy
25 May 2023 | GP Short Notes # 681
Ukraine: Russia claims victory in Bakhmut
25 May 2023 | GP Short Notes # 680
Sudan: A Seventh Ceasefire
25 May 2023 | GP Short Notes # 679
Arab League: The Return of Syria
16 April 2023 | GP Short Notes # 673
France: Contended pension reform bill becomes law
9 April 2023 | GP Short Notes # 671
OPEC: Reducing crude oil production
9 April 2023 | GP Short Notes # 670
Space: NASA announces crew for the Artemis II mission

9 April 2023 | GP Short Notes # 698
France and China: The Macron-Xi meeting
2 April 2023 | GP Short Notes # 697
NATO: Turkey greenlights Finland’s membership
2 April 2023 | GP Short Notes # 696
Expanding Russia-South Africa relations

19 March 2023 | GP Short Notes # 694
AUKUS Submarine Deal
19 March 2023 | GP Short Notes # 693
Saudi Arabia: Resumption of diplomatic ties with Iran
8 March 2023 | GP Short Notes # 692
Macron’s visit to Africa: Three Takeaways

Click below links for year wise archive
2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018

Click here for old Short Notes