France is known by all to be a country of class and sophistication: playing a major role in fashion, cinema, art and music. The cultural importance of France has contributed to its romantic reputation, one that is beginning to be questioned. Although statistically developed (with a human development index ranking of 26 out of 189, France is one of the most developed countries in the world)- France is a breeding ground for social inequalities, resulting in a concerning picture being painted by data regarding the large divisions between minority and majority groups.
‘Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité’ – the motto of France, the phrase originating during the French revolution. Although ‘Egalité’ is known to be an ideal rather than a reality, evidence shows that inequality in France is increasing consistently. The number of those living in poverty is growing and their purchasing power is decreasing, with the number of people below the poverty line threshold of €1,026 per month (as defined by ATD Fourth World) has now reached 8.8 million, i.e. 60 % of the median income. The rich have got richer but less numerous. According to the 2019 Forbes ranking, the five richest people in France own € 156 000 000 000, the equivalent of 10 000 000 years of earnings at the net minimum wage.
In 2019, 1 in 5 French people were struggling to feed themselves. Lack of sufficient access to well-balanced food and nutrition not only has significant effects on wellbeing and health but can cause embarrassment of not being able to feed oneself and provide for their family, ultimately resulting in social exclusion. Malnutrition can have detrimental effects on mental and physical health, causing anxiety and depression as well as a multitude of deficiency disorders.
Gender inequality still reigns in France, with the difference in salary between men and women at 9% for equal status and work. Additionally, there are major health concerns regarding toxicity exposure in sectors of work predominantly occupied by women. An example of this is beauty salons with investigations into the effects of chemical exposure on foetal health. Furthermore, in the healthcare system female patients experience delayed diagnoses and inferior care: on average, female heart attack victims receive treatment an hour and a half later than males.
The accumulation of the effects of these social inequalities has a major effect on overall quality of life of French citizens. Because of this, there is a vast difference in life expectancy of the poorest and richest men in France – 13 years. The life expectancy of the poorest in France is 71.1 years with the life expectancy of the richest being 84.4 years, this shocking inequality clearly demonstrating the consequences of French disparity between classes. The accretion of social and environmental inequalities leads to the ultimate inequality.
