Telling different stories about wealth

A new report by LSE for JRF, which reviews the literature on the framing of economic inequality, suggests that the lack of shared public understanding of wealth inequality might present an opportunity

Escalating wealth inequality is causing social and environmental harm. Although it is high and rising, public concern isn't keeping pace. Changing how wealth inequality is talked about could help to raise public concern and build political pressure to act.

So begins a new report by Sarah Kerr and Michael Vaughan, of the International Inequalities Institute at the London School of Economics, which was published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation last week.

The report, Changing the narrative on wealth inequality, summarises a longer literature review on the effects of the framing of wealth inequality, published on the same day, and adds some suggestions on how to use the findings of the review to communicate more effectively about the issue.

Some key findings from the literature review:

• Communication about wealth inequality in the media is not meeting the urgent need for informed public debate on the topic

• Textual and visual frames have a strong influence on public perceptions of wealth inequality, such as encouraging fatalism or making it feel legitimate

• Public understanding of wealth inequality is ‘thin’ but nuanced, influenced by individualism, aspiration, and a preference for fair process over equal outcomes

• There are many barriers to wealth inequality gaining salience, linked to public opinion, media agendas, and the influence of political elites and institutions

The report itself, building on this review, makes the following recommendations:

• Make use of the opportunity to define the problem (e.g. extreme wealth) provided by the lack of a shared public understanding of wealth inequality

• Be aware of the strength of ‘system-justifying’ beliefs such as meritocracy

• Make better and more intentional use of textual and visual frames to ‘de-legitimise the economic status quo’ and increase the salience of wealth inequality

• Talk about wealth inequality as a social and economic justice issue, not merely a tax justice issue, so that a broad range of solutions can be considered

The report, and the literature review upon which it is based, provides invaluable insights for campaigners, researchers and communicators.

LSE and JRF are running a public event called How do we campaign around wealth inequality? on the evening of Monday 13 May in London.