**3. Identifying countries of reproach and commendation**

#### **3.1. The West**

*Socio-economic data:* **Table 1** lists Western socio‐economic data. The USA has the widest income inequality, as their top 20% of salaries are 8.5 times that of the bottom 20% followed by Portugal (8 times) and the UK (7.2 times). The narrowest income inequalities are, apart from Japan (3.4 times), seen in European nations, for example, Finland (3.7 times), Norway (3.9 times) and Sweden (4 times). Switzerland has the highest GNI (\$47,100) followed by the USA (\$45,640), down to the lowest figures in Portugal (\$24,080) and Spain (\$31,490). Based upon 18 countries (owing to missing data from three countries), the Western GNI average is \$35,662 per person; the UK figure lies just above this at \$35,860 (see **Table 1**).


*Health and military expenditure:* **Table 1** also lists the West's health (GDPHE) and military expenditure (GDPME) as a percentage of total GDP.

Recent World Bank data has been published that includes 30 of the 33 SSA countries (Anglo, Congo (Kinshasa) and Somalia were not available) and so matching GNI data are reported for 2010 [28]. SSA data are available for 2015, but over 5 years, there was virtually no difference between the countries ranking, hence CMR and 2010 GNI are also correlated

The different socio‐economic backgrounds of these regions are recognised but to an extent both Asian and SSA societies from the former British Empire have faced similar postcolonial struggles [36]. Comparisons of countries since their independence *within*, not *between* regions,

Although Angola, China, Nigeria, Somalia, South Africa and Yemen are considered developing countries, they are among the world's top 20 producers of minerals and oil [34]. It is also noted that 14 of the 33 SSA countries have endured serious civil conflict over the period under review. An important policy priority context is what percentage countries spend of their national wealth (gross domestic product, GDP) on health and military. World Bank data are extrapolated as a percentage of GDP for health and military expenditure from which a military to health expen‐ diture ratio is calculated [37]. This ratio reflects national priorities and is likely to be influenced by local/regional political history as regimes change over time and respond to their sense of threat from their regional perspective. This is exemplified by the long‐standing tension between India and Pakistan, Greece and turkey. Hence the military and health ratios can be sen as broad

Spearman rank order (Rho) correlations have been used to determine any association between regional CMR and poverty, that is, GNI, military and health data. Standard deviations (SD) of CMR in each of the regions have been calculated and 1 SD above or below the regional average is the measure used to assess whether a nation merits a *reproach*, using the words of William Penn (1693), or a *commendation*. 'It is a reproach to Government and Religion t Suffer

*Socio-economic data:* **Table 1** lists Western socio‐economic data. The USA has the widest income inequality, as their top 20% of salaries are 8.5 times that of the bottom 20% followed by Portugal (8 times) and the UK (7.2 times). The narrowest income inequalities are, apart from Japan (3.4 times), seen in European nations, for example, Finland (3.7 times), Norway (3.9 times) and Sweden (4 times). Switzerland has the highest GNI (\$47,100) followed by the USA (\$45,640), down to the lowest figures in Portugal (\$24,080) and Spain (\$31,490). Based upon 18 countries (owing to missing data from three countries), the Western GNI average is

**3. Identifying countries of reproach and commendation**

\$35,662 per person; the UK figure lies just above this at \$35,860 (see **Table 1**).

to explore any link between CMR and poverty.

are therefore considered reasonable.

68 International Development

indicators of policy proirities.

such Poverty and Excess' [38]

**3.1. The West**

**2.4. Statistical analysis**

**2.3. Socio‐economic, health and military expenditure**

**Table 1.** Western countries: Income inequality and gross national income (GNI) by purchasing power parity (PPP) & average 2010–2013 GDP expenditure on health (GDPEH) and GDP military expenditure (sources World Bank): A military: health ratio [Source: World Bank, [37].

The average health expenditure in the West is 10.5% of GDP; therefore, out of every \$100 of a nation's wealth, \$10.50 is, on average, spent on health. Figures range from 17.1% in the USA and 11.6% in France down to 9% in Australia and 8.9% in Ireland. The average military expenditure in the West is 1.4% of GDP. Figures range from 3.3% in the USA followed by Greece at 2.6%, down to 0.7% in Austria and 0.4% in Ireland.

Military: Health ratios are narrowest in Australia 1:4.5, the UK 1:1.4.8 and the USA 1:5.2, the West's average being 1:7.5; ratios are widest in Ireland 1:22.3, Switzerland 1:16.0 and the Netherlands 1:10.3; reflecting different political priorities, which according to Nye Bevan is the essence of politics (Foot, 1978)

*Child-mortality-rates:* **Table 2** shows the top‐six highest CMR (0–4 years) are from English‐ speaking nations led by the USA at 1503 per million (pm), New Zealand at 1308 pm, Canada at 1189 pm, UK at 1113 pm, Australia at 1030 pm and Ireland at 947 pm. Nations with the lowest CMR, apart from Japan at 663 pm, are from Europe: Sweden at 624 pm, Finland at 632 pm and Norway at 691 pm.

