I wrote recently about new evidence for a strong correlation between religion and economic inequality. The reasons for this correlation are still unknown, but one reader thinks that misogyny and family planning are likely culprits. Do you agree?
Sojourner writes:
I think that poverty has a correlation to religion, because of religious dogma, itself. How many of the poorest countries have the majority of members of religions that are misogynistic and eschew birth control and family planning? how many of the poorer nations are nations where the majority are encouraged to have as many children as "God sends" so to speak?
Where there is overpopulation as a way of life, there is generally much more poverty, than in a country where sensible family planning is encouraged. The poorer the nation the more you will find the more advocates for procreation as a God given reason for sex.
Those same countries will have the most missionaries swooping down on them like so many vultures to spread their nonsense as far and wide as possible. More people, more for "our side", "blessed are the poor and suffering", more converts, etc. I wonder if there are statistics somewhere to prove that?
There's a reason that the countries that are less dependent on religion are usually the most prosperous and have the most satisfied citizens.
[original post]
It's probably true that discouraging women from getting an education and working will have a negative impact on income inequality, but women in America in the 1950s didn't generally have careers outside the home and there was a lot less income inequality then. It's also probably true that having lots of children will cause problems, but once again America in the 1950s did a lot less family planning but had much less income inequality.
So while these issues may seem to be relevant, I'm not sure that they are central.
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