"The poor cannot sleep, because they are hungry," Nigerian economist Sam Aluko famously said in 1999, "and the rich cannot sleep, because the poor are awake and hungry." We are all affected by deep disparities of income and wealth, because the political and economic system on which our prosperity depends cannot continue enriching some while impoverishing others.
During hard times, the poor lose faith in their leaders and the economic system; and when times are good, too few enjoy the benefits. The Gini coefficient, which is a measure of economic inequality, has been rising for many years in developing as well as developed countries, including the United States.
In Europe, inequalities have intensified as a result of rapidly rising unemployment, especially among young people. Some have reacted by rioting; others have backed far-right xenophobic political parties; many more seethe quietly, growing ever more resentful of politicians and the system they represent.