Page 122 - Šolsko polje, XXIX, 2018, no. 5-6: Radicalization, Violent Extremism and Conflicting Diversity, eds. Mitja Sardoč and Tomaž Deželan
P. 122
šolsko polje, letnik xxix, številka 5–6
conditions will ever improve, and in fact they fear they will become ever
worse off, then this is a favourable condition for radical thinking. While
in the past half century the characteristics of the USA and UK which gave
rise to Trump and Brexit have been amply and empirically documented
and commented on, they still deserve to be repeated:
In the UK, the average income of the richest 10% is almost 10 times as
large as for the poorest 10%. The OECD average is 9.5, in France and Ger-
many it is around 7 and in the US 16. OECD (2015)
In this context, Slovenia stands out as one of the most developed
countries among the smallest in the world (with only two million inhab-
itants). However, it is in relation to social inequality that public opinion
is also becoming radicalised in Slovenia, although, as opposed to the US
and UK, it has a much better situation in this regard. Slovenia was always
(and remains) a state with one of the smallest degrees of income inequal-
ity in Europe, and therefore is among the world’s most egalitarian coun-
tries according to this criterion. This is why Slovenia still (for now) also
boasts a below the European average degree of poverty among its popula-
tion, is high in the world in terms of the degree of general safety and has
a low per capita number of criminal acts and prisoners, a rapid reduction
in the traffic mortality rate, high gender equality rate, low neonatal mor-
tality rate, and is further distinguished by a series of other key indicators
that show the good quality of life (Messner, 2014; Flere & Lavrič, 2005: p.
741; UNICEF, 2009; Porter et al., 2014). In short, if a alien from the space
would shipwreck on the planet Earth and chose to live in the Slovenian
oasis, they would come off rahter well.23 However, even in Slovenia pub-
lic opinion has become radicalised, and the most so in terms of inequality.
What has been going on to cause this?
The right side of Table 2 shows that Slovenia remains (in almost all
years of the measured period) a very, and even exceptionally low, degree
of inequality with respect to the whole EU. Even the Nordic states do not
come close to it, and although they are among the best in the world they
still lag behind Slovenia according to this criterion, because they have a
higher average Gini coefficient (GC). In 2016, only Iceland and Slovakia
hadan even lower GC than Slovenia (Eurostat, 2018). For Slovenia, a for-
mer socialist country, this is an excellent result, because most of the for-
mer socialist countries show a much higher degree of inequality, which ex-
ceeds the European average.
23 But only under the condition that they do not tell they are alien (Dragoš, 2016; Lukšič-Hacin,
2017; Kramberger et al., 2004).
120
conditions will ever improve, and in fact they fear they will become ever
worse off, then this is a favourable condition for radical thinking. While
in the past half century the characteristics of the USA and UK which gave
rise to Trump and Brexit have been amply and empirically documented
and commented on, they still deserve to be repeated:
In the UK, the average income of the richest 10% is almost 10 times as
large as for the poorest 10%. The OECD average is 9.5, in France and Ger-
many it is around 7 and in the US 16. OECD (2015)
In this context, Slovenia stands out as one of the most developed
countries among the smallest in the world (with only two million inhab-
itants). However, it is in relation to social inequality that public opinion
is also becoming radicalised in Slovenia, although, as opposed to the US
and UK, it has a much better situation in this regard. Slovenia was always
(and remains) a state with one of the smallest degrees of income inequal-
ity in Europe, and therefore is among the world’s most egalitarian coun-
tries according to this criterion. This is why Slovenia still (for now) also
boasts a below the European average degree of poverty among its popula-
tion, is high in the world in terms of the degree of general safety and has
a low per capita number of criminal acts and prisoners, a rapid reduction
in the traffic mortality rate, high gender equality rate, low neonatal mor-
tality rate, and is further distinguished by a series of other key indicators
that show the good quality of life (Messner, 2014; Flere & Lavrič, 2005: p.
741; UNICEF, 2009; Porter et al., 2014). In short, if a alien from the space
would shipwreck on the planet Earth and chose to live in the Slovenian
oasis, they would come off rahter well.23 However, even in Slovenia pub-
lic opinion has become radicalised, and the most so in terms of inequality.
What has been going on to cause this?
The right side of Table 2 shows that Slovenia remains (in almost all
years of the measured period) a very, and even exceptionally low, degree
of inequality with respect to the whole EU. Even the Nordic states do not
come close to it, and although they are among the best in the world they
still lag behind Slovenia according to this criterion, because they have a
higher average Gini coefficient (GC). In 2016, only Iceland and Slovakia
hadan even lower GC than Slovenia (Eurostat, 2018). For Slovenia, a for-
mer socialist country, this is an excellent result, because most of the for-
mer socialist countries show a much higher degree of inequality, which ex-
ceeds the European average.
23 But only under the condition that they do not tell they are alien (Dragoš, 2016; Lukšič-Hacin,
2017; Kramberger et al., 2004).
120
