Multidimensional Inequality-Alex Plummer

The following article refers to the many forms of inequality that trouble the world beyond income inequality. While income inequality is a major issue within society, many other critical inequalities go unaddressed. The author, Evan Soltas, believes that if social division is on so many people’s minds than these other aspects of inequality need to be addressed. Soltas states that inequality is multidimensional, environmental, and most importantly intergenerational. There seems to be more discussion on income inequality in the news and in government than talk on unequal rights and policies that affect whole communities. In regards to education young adults are more likely to be high school dropouts if their fathers were. And only three times as likely to graduate college if their fathers did. The focus on income inequality is far more common because the government can redistribute income and alter taxes.

The article attributes multidimensional inequalities to various forms of public policy. For instance the Anti-drug Abuse Act of 1986, resulted in a large increase of incarcerated adults; greatly impacting the social dynamic of communities. Soltas considers criminal justice and education reform to be the most powerful weapon against inequality. He also states that rehabilitation without incarceration is the best policy for non-violent drug offenders. Soltas is right in recommending a change in these public policies and lowering the number of non-violent individuals locked up. Not only is it a waste of money to lock up non-violent individuals but also the extensive damage done to families and communities is immense. The lose of a parent, due to imprisonment, has a colossal affect on a child’s life and can potentially lower the likely hood of their future success. The U.K. is currently bettering their school systems by finding more advantageous ways to monitor teacher’s performance and allocating more independence in their teaching structure.  Public policy has the greatest ability in altering and correcting societal inequalities. 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-02/tax-increases-alone-won-t-solve-inequality.html