David Lay Williams’ compelling book, The Greatest of All Plagues: How Economic Inequality Shaped Political Thought from Plato to Marx, challenges this oversight by excavating an important truth: for over two millennia, the West’s greatest minds have sounded alarms about concentrated wealth’s corrosive effects on societies.

From Plato’s warning that inequality creates “two cities — one of the rich, one of the poor, eternally at war” to Adam Smith’s fear that vast income gaps erode mutual sympathy between classes, history’s sharpest thinkers have identified economic disparity as an existential threat to justice, democracy, and human flourishing.

At this event, David Lay Williams and an expert panel discussed what we can learn from the past about the threat of economic inequality, why philosophers considered it so disruptive and destabilising, and how we can make this threat more tangible to provoke action.

Speakers:

• David Lay Williams, Professor of Political Science at DePaul University and Affiliate at the University of Chicago's Stone Center for Research on Wealth Inequality and Mobility
• Karen Rowlingson, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Professor of Social Policy at the University of York
• Luke Kemp, Research Affiliate at the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, Cambridge
• Will Snell, Chief Executive at the Fairness Foundation (chair)

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The Fairness Foundation and two expert speakers - Derek Walker, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, and Cat Tully, Managing Director of the School of International Futures - discussed the need for UK politics and policymaking to focus on long-termism and on the welfare of future generations, the barriers to change, and how to overcome them.

hThis webinar marked the launch of the Fairness Foundation’s new report, Mission to the Future.

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Why were the Democrats defeated? Is America’s surging inequality the root cause of President Trump’s victory? What connections can we draw between growing inequality and the populists’ clarion call for a “revolt against elites”?

At this event as part of our Fair Society series, in partnership with the Policy Institute at King’s College London, we convened some of the leading thinkers and analysts who have studied the American campaign up close for a discussion about what is fuelling populist politics in America, what we can learn from what happened – and how the UK government should respond.

Speakers:

• Claire Ainsley, Director of the Project on Center-Left Renewal, the Progressive Policy Institute and former Executive Director for Policy for Sir Keir Starmer
• Professor Ben Ansell, Professor of Comparative Democratic Institutions, Nuffield College Oxford and author of Why Politics Fails 
• The Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP, Member of Parliament for Birmingham Hodge Hill and author of The Inequality of Wealth 
• Peter Hyman, Former Senior Advisor to Sir Keir Starmer
• Hamida Ali, Head of Policy and Programmes, Future Governance Forum
• Professor Bobby Duffy, Director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London (chair)

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A former Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation and now Labour MP for Swansea West, Bell dissects the economic stagnation that has gripped Britain for over a decade, exploring how this prolonged period of low growth has impacted various segments of society – and what we can do about it.

At this event in our Fair Society series with the Policy Institute at King’s College London, we discussed Bell’s book and his ideas for how to raise living standards and create a more equal country.

Speakers:

• Torsten Bell, Member of Parliament for Swansea West, former Director of the Resolution Foundation
• Bobby Duffy, Director, the Policy Institute at King’s College London (chair)
• David Hope, Senior Lecturer in Political Economy, King’s College London
• Gaby Hinsliff, Columnist at the Guardian

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The report also looks at the evidence base for the policy solutions that will either reduce the wealth gap or mitigate its impacts on other areas, and at the evidence on public attitudes to both the problem and the solutions (including new polling and focus group research on public understanding of the impacts of wealth inequality).

During this webinar, the report’s analysis and recommendations were discussed and situated within the wider context of the debate about inequality, poverty and the government's priorities and choices by an expert panel. This event was run in association with the Policy Institute at King's College London as part of our 'Fair Society' series.

Speakers:

• Liam Byrne, Labour MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North and Chair of the Business & Trade Select Committee
• Graham Hobson, Founder of Photobox and member of the Patriotic Millionaires
• Sonia Sodha, Chief Leader Writer at The Observer
• Jack Jeffrey, Researcher at the Fairness Foundation
• Will Snell, Chief Executive at the Fairness Foundation (chair)

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Dorling's seven children were born in 2018, at a time when the UK faced its worst inequality since the Great Depression. As they turned five in 2023, their country had Europe's fastest-rising child poverty rates, and even the best-off of the seven is disadvantaged. The book provides insight into the lives of British children living between the extremes of wealth and poverty. It examines questions around parental income, the middle class, and the trends affecting the next generation.

At this event in our Fair Society series with the Policy Institute at King’s College London, Dorling discussed the key issues with our expert panel.

Speakers:

• Danny Dorling, Halford Mackinder Professor of Geography, University of Oxford, and author of Seven Children, Inequality and the 1% and All That Is Solid
• Georgia Banjo, Britain Correspondent, The Economist
• Dame Rachel De Souza, Children’s Commissioner for England
• Will Snell, Chief Executive, The Fairness Foundation (chair)

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It's easy to blame dysfunctional politicians, but the reality is more complicated, he says. Politicians can make things better or worse, but all work within our state institutions. And Failed State argues ours are utterly broken.

At this event, Freedman – a leading policy expert and writer of the UK’s most popular politics Substack – offered his analysis of how our governance has fallen behind and what can be done to pave the way for a fairer and more prosperous Britain.

Speakers:

• Sam Freedman, author of Failed State and writer of Comment is Freed
• Polly Curtis, Chief Executive, Demos
• Emma Norris, Deputy Director, Institute for Government
• Duncan Robinson, Political Editor and Bagehot columnist, The Economist
• Bobby Duffy, Director, the Policy Institute at King’s College London (Chair)

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On 9 July the Fairness Foundation published a report, Deepening the Opportunity Mission, that aims to demonstrate why the new Labour government needs to tackle inequality before they can make real progress on the opportunity mission, what kinds of policy goals might be useful in orientating government policy towards tackling inequality as a result, and how to work across government to make progress on tackling inequalities as part of a wider shift to mission-driven government and working practices.

During this webinar, the report’s analysis and recommendations were discussed and situated within the wider context of the debate about mission-driven government by an expert panel.

Speakers:

• Hamida Ali, Head of Policy and Programmes, Future Governance Forum
• Emma Norris, Deputy Director, Institute for Government
• James Plunkett, Chief Practices Officer, Nesta
• Melanie Field, independent adviser (report co-author)
• Will Snell, Chief Executive, Fairness Foundation (chair and report co-author)

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To address this, the next government has to take bold action to reduce economic inequality and build a fairer society. If we don’t make progress on this agenda over the next parliament, the 2029 election result might see the far-right making gains that we have never seen before in this country, as foretold in the results of the recent EU elections. The stakes for the next government, and for all of us, could not be higher.

On 30 June, as we look ahead to the general election, the Fairness Foundation published a report, 'The Canaries', that examines what the evidence tells us about how much more unfair Britain could become over the next five years, why this matters, and what we can do about it. It highlights the warnings made by experts from a range of sectors and disciplines about the trajectory that we are on, and what they think we need to do to get back onto a fairer, more prosperous and safer path.

During this webinar on 1 July, the report’s analysis and recommendations were discussed and situated within the wider context of the debate about inequality and poverty by an expert panel.

Speakers:

• Helen Barnard, Director of Policy, Research and Impact, Trussell Trust
• Shabna Begum, CEO, Runnymede Trust
• Nick Harrison, Chief Executive, Sutton Trust
• Anita Sangha, Fairness Foundation
• Will Snell, Chief Executive, Fairness Foundation (chair)

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World-renowned development economist Paul Collier has spent his life working in neglected communities and lays the blame for widening inequality on stale economic orthodoxies that prioritise market forces to revive left-behind regions, and on what he sees as the hands-off and one-size-fits-all approach of centralised bureaucracies like the UK Treasury. As a result, he argues that the UK has become the most unequal and unfair society in the western world.

The Policy Institute and the Fairness Foundation hosted the launch of *Left Behind: A New Economics for Neglected Places,* Collier’s new book in which he sets out why some regions and countries are failing, and a new vision for how they can catch up. The event was part of our Fair Society series, in partnership with the Policy Institute at King’s College London.

Speakers:

• Paul Collier, Professor of Economics and Public Policy at Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government
• Deborah Bullivant MBE, Deputy-Lieutenant Governor of South Yorkshire and founding CEO of Grimm and Company
• Sir Chris Husbands, Former Vice-Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University
• Michael Stevenson, Senior Consultant at OECD High Performing Systems for Tomorrow and Senior Adviser Education to Doncaster
• Alison Wolf CBE, Sir Roy Griffiths Professor of Public Sector Management at King's College London (Chair)

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This webinar looked at how ideas of a work ethic informed debates among the political economists of the past, and how these ideas can help us in thinking about inequality today. The event was part of our Fair Society series, in partnership with the Policy Institute at King’s College London.

Speakers:

• Elizabeth Anderson, Professor of Public Philosophy; University of Michigan, and author of 'Hijacked'
• Sohrab Ahmari, Founder and editor, Compact magazine, and 'American Affairs' columnist, the New Statesman
• Bethan Staton, Deputy Editor, Work and Careers, Financial Times
• Stuart White, Nicholas Drake Tutorial Fellow in Politics, University of Oxford
• Will Snell, Chief Executive, the Fairness Foundation (Chair)

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To ward off the wave of nihilist populism sweeping the world, we need an alternative economic and political philosophy, Hutton says. He argues that two great traditions, ethical socialism and progressive liberalism, can be brought together to offer a different way forward and help shape a better Britain. Through the reforming Liberal government of 1906-14 and, later, the 1945 Labour government that was influenced by Keynes and Beveridge, history has shown great things can be achieved when the two progressive strands fuse, he says. Now it’s time to do it again.

The Policy Institute and the Fairness Foundation co-hosted an event in our Fair Society series to mark the publication of This Time No Mistakes.

Speakers:

• Will Hutton, Observer columnist, President of the Academy of Social Sciences and author of This Time No Mistakes
• Professor Bobby Duffy, Director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London (chair)
• Baroness Helena Kennedy KC, Barrister and broadcaster, was due to take part but had to pull out at the last minute in order to participate in the debate in the House of Lords on the Rwanda bill

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From moral and political perspectives to economic, social, environmental, and psychological dimensions, she argues that extreme wealth is not only unjustifiable but is also detrimental to society as a whole, and proposes a radical solution - placing a hard limit on the wealth that any one person can accumulate. At this event, the Policy Institute and the Fairness Foundation hosted a discussion on 'limitarianism', Robeyns’ concept that challenges our current system by calling for a strict cap on wealth accumulation.

Speakers:

• Professor Ingrid Robeyns, Chair in Ethics of Institutions, Utrecht University and author of Limitarianism: The Case Against Extreme Wealth
• Luke Hildyard, Director, High Pay Centre and author of Enough: Why It's Time to Abolish the Super-Rich
• Graham Hobson, technologist and member of Patriotic Millionaires UK
• Will Snell, Chief Executive, Fairness Foundation (chair)

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He says that unless we change course soon, the future will be even worse. Much worse. But things don't have to be like this. In the book, Byrne explains why wealth inequality has grown so fast in recent years; warns how it threatens our society, economy and politics; shows where economics has got it wrong – and proposes five practical ways to rebuild an old ideal: the wealth-owning democracy.

This event was part of our Fair Society series, in partnership with the Policy Institute at King’s College London.

Speakers:

• The Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP, Member of Parliament for Birmingham Hodge Hill and author of The Inequality of Wealth
• Anoosh Chakelian, Britain Editor, New Statesman
• Carys Roberts, Executive Director, Institute for Public Policy Research
• Professor Bobby Duffy, Director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London (chair)

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The Policy Institute and the Fairness Foundation hosted a fascinating conversation about political upheaval, inequality, and the historical lessons we can glean. Are we truly living in "End Times," or can history provide a glimmer of optimism for breaking free from past cycles? Should we be more or less optimistic in the light of technological changes such as the advent of AI? And if the US is a plutocracy, to what extent is that also true of the UK?

Speakers:

• Gerry Mitchell, Social policy researcher, writer, community activist and co-author of Uncomfortably Off: Why the Top 10% of Earners Should Care about Inequality
• Will Snell, Chief Executive, the Fairness Foundation (Chair)
• Mary Harrington, author and contributing editor at UnHerd
• Paul Summerville, Adjunct Professor, Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria and co-author of Reclaiming Populism: How Economic Fairness Can Win Back Disenchanted Voters
• Peter Turchin, Complexity Scientist, one of the founders of Cliodynamics and author of The Times thought book of the year, End Times: Elites, counter-elites and the path of political disintegration

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As part of our Fair Society series with the Policy Institute, we revisited The Spirit Level and its lasting impact on how we think about inequality.

Speakers:

• Kate Pickett OBE, Professor of Epidemiology, University of York, and co-author of The Spirit Level
• Richard Wilkinson, Professor Emeritus of Social Epidemiology, University of Nottingham, and co-author of The Spirit Level
• David Aaronovitch, journalist, presenter and author
• Lucinda Platt, Professor of Social Policy and Sociology, London School of Economics
• Paul Drechsler CBE, Chair, International Chamber of Commerce UK and BusinessLDN, former President of the Confederation of British Industry
• Bobby Duffy, Director, the Policy Institute at King's College London (Chair)

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In his new book, Free and Equal: What Would a Fair Society Look Like?, Daniel Chandler builds on the philosophy of John Rawls to argue for a society that protects free speech and transcends culture wars, limits the influence of money on politics, and builds a more just economy that operates within the limits of the planet.

Daniel is joined by Anneliese Dodds MP, John Penrose MP and Ryan Shorthouse for a discussion chaired by Suzanne Hall from the Policy Institute at King's College London.

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Drawing on the turmoil of the past decade, he says that “market economies” have evolved into “market societies”, where price determines the value of everything.

Radical, foundational change is required if we are to build an economy and society based not on market values but on human values, he says.

In this online event as part of our Fair Society series, hosted with the Policy Institute at King’s College London, Carney discussed his vision for a fairer and more human society with Nick Macpherson, former Permanent Secretary to the Treasury and Policy Institute Visiting Professor with the Strand Group at King’s College London.

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The report launch webinar took place on 23 May 2023 and was chaired by Polly Toynbee (the Guardian), with contributions from Dr Lucy Barnes (University College London), Gary Stevenson (inequality economist and former city trader) and Will Snell (Fairness Foundation).

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Our answer to these inescapable questions – known as the social contract – shapes our politics, economic systems and every stage of life, from raising children and going to school to finding work and growing old. Yet today, many believe that this contract is not working for them.

In What We Owe Each Other: A New Social Contract, leading economist and Director of the LSE, Minouche Shafik, examines societies across the world and demonstrates that the urgent challenges of technology, demography and climate require a major shift in priorities – a social contract fit for the 21st century.

Our panel discussed these issues and more at this event in our Fair Society series with the Policy Institute at King’s College London.

Panel

• Minouche Shafik, Director of the London School of Economics
• Diane Coyle, Co-Director of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of Cambridge
• Daniel Susskind, Fellow in Economics, University of Oxford, and Visiting Professor at the Policy Institute
• Ryan Shorthouse, Director, Bright Blue, and Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Policy Institute
• Bobby Duffy, Director of the Policy Institute, King’s College London (chair)

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In her book Snakes and Ladders: The Great British Social Mobility Myth, Professor Selina Todd draws on hundreds of personal stories to reveal the hidden history of how people have really experienced social mobility, as well as how unsung heroes – among them, feminists and trade unionists – were able to unleash the hidden talents of thousands and create more room at the top.

In this event in our  Fair Society series  with the Policy Institute at King's College London, Selina and our panel discussed class and social mobility in modern Britain and how we can create greater opportunities for all.

Panel

• Selina Todd, Professor of Modern History at St. Hilda’s College, University of Oxford, and author of Snakes and Ladders: The Great British Social Mobility Myth
• Lee Elliot Major, Professor of Social Mobility, University of Exeter
• Halima Begum, Chief Executive and Director, Runnymede Trust
• Adam Swift, Professor of Political Theory, University College London
• Bobby Duffy, Professor of Public Policy and Director of the Policy Institute, King’s College London (chair)

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In his book The Health Gap: The Challenge of an Unequal World, Professor Sir Michael Marmot argues that in every country, people at relative social disadvantage suffer health disadvantage and shorter lives – a key reason why we need to address societal imbalances in power, money and resources.

Since the book was published in 2015, Marmot's work has gone on to reveal how the health gap has grown between wealthy and deprived areas of the UK, and how inequalities in social and economic conditions before the pandemic contributed to the high and unequal death toll from Covid-19.

In this event, Sir Michael and the other panellists discussed why it is more urgent than ever that we tackle inequalities in order to improve health, why more progress has not been made in the last decade, and how we can rectify this failure in the era of levelling up.

Panel

• Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Director of the UCL Institute of Health Equity, former President of the World Medical Association, and author of The Health Gap: The Challenge of an Unequal World
• Jo Bibby, Director of Health at the Health Foundation
• Chris Thomas, Senior Research Fellow (Health) at the Institute for Public Policy Research, and author of The Five Health Frontiers: A New Radical Blueprint
• Jabeer Butt, Chief Executive of the Race Equality Foundation
• Professor Richard Trembath, Senior Vice President (Health & Life Sciences), King's College London, and Executive Director of King’s Health Partners
• Will Snell, Chief Executive of the Fairness Foundation (chair)

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Speakers:

• Michael Sandel, Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government at Harvard University and author of The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good?
• Jo Littler, Professor of Social Analysis and Cultural Politics at City, University London, and author of Against Meritocracy: Culture, Power and Myths of Mobility
• Adrian Wooldridge, Political Editor of the Economist and author of The Aristocracy of Talent: How Meritocracy Made the Modern World
• Maria Alvarez, Professor of Philosophy and Head of the Department of Philosophy at King's College London
• Bobby Duffy, Professor of Public Policy and Director of the Policy Institute at King's College London (chair)

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