Description
Book SynopsisThis is the first detailed study of the recent geographical distribution of poverty and wealth in Britain. It presents the most comprehensive estimates of the changing levels of poverty and wealth from the late 1960s. A wide range of secondary data is used, beginning with the first national Poverty in the UK survey of Peter Townsend and colleagues, and ending with data released during the middle of the current decade. The authors extend concepts of social exclusion to establish 5 household groupings: the 'exclusive wealthy' - able to exclude themselves from the norms of society; those who are rich but not exclusively so; those who are neither rich nor poor; the 'breadline poor'; and the 'core poor' - who experience a combination of severe income poverty, material deprivation and subjective poverty. Poverty and wealth statistics are mapped in detail to explore geographical patterns over the last four decades, and analysed to determine whether poverty and wealth have become more or less polarised.
Trade Review"... a depressing but nevertheless important exposé of contemporary social life. ... an essential resource for anyone interested in punishment and society. Dorling et al expose the extent of inequality in the UK today." Prison Service Journal, Nov 2007, Issue 174.
Table of ContentsSummary; Background; Methods; The measures: breadline poor, core poor, asset wealthy and exclusive wealthy; National totals and trends; National maps and geographical changes over time; Polarisation and spatial concentration; Local issues; What has happened since 2000? Discussion; Conclusions.
