Why inequality is bad for you -- and everyone else

Richard Wilkinson, a professor of social epidemiology at the University of Nottingham Medical School would get along real well with Engerman and Sokoloff. Wilkinson believes where there is more equality, there is more cooperative social strategies, but where there is more inequality, people feel pressured to fend for themselves and competition for status becomes more important. While human beings are capable of being each other's most feared rivals and competitors, humans also have the opposite potential: Humans can be each other's best sources of cooperation, assistance, help, learning and love. Wilkinson goes on to say perhaps 90% to 95% of the population benefits from greater equality. Engerman and Sokoloff would agree with this and further elaborate by stating that equality leads to open franchise which results in broader public education.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/06/opinion/wilkinson-inequality-harm/index.html