Today’s graph is one of the most interesting shapes I’ve come across, and requires some explanation. It may also help some Cheerful Data readers get clarity on why it doesn’t feel that life has got that much better for them over the last few decades.
The ‘elephant’ shaped graph above shows how much income has increased for those at various levels of wealth around the world from 1988-2008. The first thing to note is that the numbers are positive for everyone, which is great news! The second thing is that for the vast majority, the increase has been around 40-50% which is even better! (Also remember that as technology improves and things generally get better and cheaper, a gain in wealth leads to an even bigger improvement in lifestyle.)
However, there are two sections of the graph which are lower than the rest. The first is the poorest 5-10%, also known as the ‘bottom billion’, who are the people that live in countries that have been the most difficult to bring out of poverty. These are largely in sub-saharan Africa, and a large proportion of our global development aims should be (and is) targeted at helping these nations.
The other low point of the graph is the 80-90% region, which if you are reading this is likely where you are. This is why it’s often difficult for people in this sector (the lower/middle classes of the rich world) to appreciate just how much the world has improved for almost everyone else. When you’re tempted to feel this way, remember that you are the beneficiary of decades of growth in your own country, and the rest of the world deservers their opportunity to catch up.
Source: Enlightenment Now, by Stephen Pinker