No two countries have the same Gini Index or the same percentage of all income earned by the top 10% - why is it that some (African and Latin American) countries have such huge gaps between rich and poor while others (mostly in Europe) have a much lower gap / less inequality? What can high inequality countries do to even things out? What can we do here to encourage them?
2007-01-19 00:54:58 · 11 answers · asked by profound insight 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
The rich are the ones in control of a country by influencing the government with financial incentives. Therefore, the government would have no interest in reducing this gap between rich and poor. Sure you can overthrow that government, but anyone who assumes power will soon be influenced by the financial elite. That's just how it is.
2007-01-19 01:05:16 · answer #1 · answered by The Maestro 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The short answer (which I am not known for, but I have to go do an interview) is most countries can only do this with forced redistribution of wealth. That would mean (regardless of the form of government) taking from the haves (money, property, medicine,food, land etc) and giving even amounts to everyone regardless of social standing (pure though unattainable Communism).
To my friend who answered in part ; "...Adopt open-markets, transparent governments accountable to the people, and have the greatest respect for private property rights. .."
if this were true than a country not mentioned in the original question could not have a CEO making $125M (not , repeat not including stock options), while the door man he passes every morning makes $21K (and is not , repeat not eligible for the stock option program).
Also, a lot of it is about power (I did say this would be short). Think for a moment if you will about the reason a billionaire would spend his/her own money to become a mayor, senator or governor? I love my city, but if I spent $90K on a campaign to become mayor which pays $35K people wouldn't call me a public servant, they would call me a psychiatrist.
2007-01-19 01:25:46 · answer #2 · answered by larry.fowler40 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Adopt open-markets, transparent governments accountable to the people, and have the greatest respect for private property rights. The government cannot force the gap to close by socialist / marxist redistribution schemes. It can only be done by having a country that has economic freedom and believes in the rule of law.
Because there will be no investment in your country until you have these. And your country will experience "brain-drain" (where most of your educated people emigrate) until you do.
If you want to see an example of a successful country that did these, look at Botswana.
2007-01-19 01:13:01 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Encourage people to want to work more. There are jobs out there; even if they are general labor. The government has not encouraged people to work for a living. There are rich people who have gained in various ways but they don't have to distribute their wealth so there can be those lying on the couch and not attempting to make a living for themselves and their families. That's not right and it's not the right attitude that some have.
2016-03-29 04:30:59 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Neutron bomb the poor countries ... get rid of the waistos and HIV infected people the people are left dead but, the infrastructure and vegetation survives. Then round up the fundamental islamist, seize their oil, relocate them and let them go back to doing what they do best (before the west discovered and exploited oil)... subsistence living like nomads and Beduins.
2007-01-19 01:16:21 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
have some sort of birth control measure so that there are less people in the world , some of the poor country people and low life western people should not be allowed to have children, perhaps contraceptives in food aid and Macdonalds would be a possibility
2007-01-19 01:06:15 · answer #6 · answered by grum 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Get companies to pay people in 3rd world countries decent pay like they pay people in their countries, pay properly for their produce and minerals, what they are worth.
And see mineral weatlh from mining and oil goes to the people and infrastructure not a dictator paid to keep price down
2007-01-19 01:46:26 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Convert the country to communism, then everyone will be equally poor.
2007-01-19 01:19:18 · answer #8 · answered by lurned1 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If an extreme left wing communism government got into power, then they'd probably start to do something about it.
2007-01-19 01:53:20 · answer #9 · answered by Alex 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
By specified a maximum amount of personal fortune. If somebody have more than xxx it will have to pay 100% tax.
2007-01-21 00:21:09 · answer #10 · answered by South 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋