Blog 9: who is responsible for inequality

In the article Who is Responsible for Inequality?, the author Robert MacCulloch, from New Zealand is trying to figure out how the country should address inequality that exists in their society like all other countries. Some think that inequality is the cause that some people have more education and skills to offer and there for they are rewarded. Others think that globalization is the problem.  New Zealand is trying to figure out how they need to deal with this income inequality that they are being faced with. Should they look at it as a good thing and an inevitable consequence of growth, or should the government make changes to welfare and tax policies? Many have the view of the ‘American Dream’, work hard and you will benefit from it. However Europeans do not see that everyone is capable of rising to the top. So what does New Zealand do, do they take on the ‘American Dream’ and leave it up to low-income individuals to work harder, or relate to the European belief that hard work is often not rewarded?

                Trying to figure out how to deal with income inequality is quite difficult. I feel that, although it may not be the most ideal to most people, to overcome inequality in a country is for the government and the people to work together. Like the European belief, hard work is not always rewarded the way it should be. A person may work hard all their life and can still have a low income. If the people of a country continue to work hard and the government enforces policies and procedures to help those of the lower spectrum of inequality then I think countries will begin to see a change in inequality. The gap between the upper one percent and the ninety-nine percent will begin to shrink.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10792989