The full title of this book by Christopher Snowdon is
“The Spirit Level Delusion: Fact-checking the Left’s New Theory of Everything“.
In my review on Amazon.co.uk, I gave it Four Stars. This means it is Good and Well Worth Reading.
Here is my review.
Necessary rebuttal
t saddens me that this book had to be written.
The original Spirit Level book showed that inequality of income and wealth was at the root of society’s ills once income reached a reasonable level. After that equality mattered more than pushing up the average GDP per person statistic.
The book made sense and for those left of centre, supported their existing views and for those on the right who were prepared to have an open mind, it will have given them cause to challenge their views.
But this book shows that the original is not the unbiased presentation of research data that it first appears. Instead data has been cherry picked to create the trends that the authors wanted to show to justify their doctrine.
The Spirit Level Delusion isn’t a good book. Its premise is negative… to destroy an argument rather than to advance an alternative. However it is necessary.
Manipulation and distortions of the truth must be challenged.
Remember the quote “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing” by Edmund Burke.
Politics dressed up as science and empirical economics is dangerous to society no matter whether it comes from the left or the right.
Personally I believe inequality is a serious problem but I’m disappointed that The Spirit Level is constructed on such a fragile basis.
It is available to buy from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.
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