GREED LEADS TO DISRESPECT

There is much talk in the news about income inequality and how these needs to be curbed. However, rarely is this subject linked to the inequality of cultures, faiths and abilities. I do think the two are very closely related - for example, someone who is an outright capitalist is making the statement that material success and achievement is of paramount importance, and therefore people's ethics, ideals and values matter less. During the Leveson enquiry, several UK media barons said that they do not understand ethics, or do not do ethics. This statement is itself a kind of ethic - that the only thing they care about is selling the papers and making a profit. Other values and qualities do not matter.

I have long argued that inequality and disrespect are influenced strongly by the wider society's ethics and values. In the UK, the level of tolerance and respect for different cultures and beliefs is strong because there is an ethic of public service and contentment among the general population, a large number of which are in jobs like nursing, teaching or administration. Also there are over 300,000 charities registered in the UK - and many of them are flourishing in terms of the service they provide and the quality of care they achieve. The greed of a few executives should not be extrapolated into the greed of a whole society. We have much to celebrate, as I said in my book Celebrating Diversity.

So if we strive for equality of people, culture and values, then capitalism's obsession with profit maximisation is at odds with our values. We need to at the very least tamper it, or cultivate a new system which is based on contentment and a deeper value attached to people, respect, relationships and communities. Such a society may not have the fastest cars or the biggest houses, but it will certainly have a lot of smiling and satisfied people. It will be equal.

Article added on 26th January 2012 at 3:32pm