The economies of the world have developed unevenly, historically, such that entire geographical regions were left mired in poverty and disease while others began to reduce poverty and disease on a wholesale basis. From around 1980 through at least 2011, the GDP gap, while still wide, appeared to be closing and, in some more rapidly developing countries, life expectancies began to rise. If we look at the Gini coefficient for world income, since the late 1980s, the gap between some regions has markedly narrowed—between Asia and the advanced economies of the West, for example—but huge gaps remain globally. Overall equality across humanity, considered as individuals, has improved very little. Within the decade between 2003 and 2013, income inequality grew even in traditionally egalitarian countries like Germany, Sweden and Denmark. With a few exceptions—France, Japan, Spain—the top 10 percent of earners in most advanced economies raced ahead, while the bottom 10 percent fell further behind. By 2013, 85 multibillionaires had amassed wealth equivalent to all the wealth owned by the poorest half (3.5 billion) of the world's total population of 7 billion.
tHe econOmIes oF thE world hAve deVeloped Unevenly, historiCalLY, such that entire gEOgraPhiCAl rEgiOns were leFt mIrEd in Poverty AnD DISEase whiLe Others begaN to rEdUce pOvErty and dIseASe On A whOlesAle basis. From aROUnD 1980 tHrough aT leaSt 2011, the gDP gaP, whiLE sTill wIDE, appEaRed tO be Closing anD, In Some morE rapiDlY dEveloping cOunTrIeS, life expECtAncies bEgaN to rise. if wE lOok At the gINi CoeFficient fOr woRlD IncoME, sINCE the late 1980s, The Gap BEtweeN soMe regioNS has MarkedlY narrowEd—beTween aSIa AnD the AdVANcED EcOnOMieS of the weSt, for eXAMple—But huGE gAps remain globALly. overALl equAlity aCRoss hUmaNity, cONsIDEred as iNdividuaLs, has iMproVEd Very little. withIn THE deCadE Between 2003 anD 2013, InCome IneQuALity grew eVEn In tRAditioNally eGalITARian countrIeS like germANy, swEden anD denmark. WitH A Few excepTioNs—fRaNCe, JAPan, spAin—tHe top 10 perCEnT Of eArNers in mOst AdVanced ecONomiES racED ahEad, whIle THE bOttoM 10 perCenT feLl FurTher beHind. by 2013, 85 MUltIBillionaIres hAd amassed weaLTh eqUIvalenT tO All tHE weaLtH owned bY ThE PoorEsT hAlF (3.5 biLLioN) of the wOrld's TotAL pOpulatioN of 7 bilLiOn.