Indeed, evidence suggests that when university-educated Europeans and Americans are surveyed, prejudices against less-educated people are now stronger than prejudices against ethnic minorities. With career success closely tied to education in many countries, the authors argue that this political backlash requires a more inclusive politics as well as a more expansive education system. This includes recognising the dignity of work: honouring and esteeming people who work in sectors such as gardening, cleaning, retail, maintenance and other frontline occupations.
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Part of the problem is that the decline in community institutions has reduced opportunities for class mixing. In Australia, as in many other nations, people have become less likely to play organised sport, less likely to attend religious services, less likely to join social movements, and less likely to volunteer. Public institutions such as transport, parks and health clinics can help to remind us of our commonalities. Rebuilding community is fundamental to reducing inequality.
Aligned to this is a strong sense of patriotism – a pride in belonging to a shared community. The authors argue that it would be a mistake to cede patriotism to the right. As Sandel argues, a multinational company that chooses to hide its profits in a tax haven is acting unpatriotically – refusing to support the common good in the country that makes its success possible. Social democrats, he contends, should be forceful in articulating our definitions of patriotism.
Equality: What it Means and Why it Matters is no more than an appetiser. Those interested in knowing more will want to delve into Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-First Century and Capital and Ideology, and Sandel’s Justice, The Tyranny of Merit and Democracy’s Discontent. But it serves as a good taster, and a reminder of why inequality matters. For Australia, egalitarianism has always been at the heart of the national project. Ours is a country that prefers “mate” to “sir”, where our beaches don’t have private areas, and where we pride ourselves on the notion that no one is better than anyone else. Reducing inequality and building community isn’t just good economics – it reflects our deepest values.
