We live, all of us, in capitalist societies—or societies that are touched, in some way, by capitalism. There’s no escaping it, and whatever advantages or disadvantages such an economic system has, the element of competition within capitalism has had unfortunate consequences. One of these is the presence of economic predators: individuals or communities that amass wealth well beyond their needs and to the detriment of others. The increasing gap between the rich and poor can lead, as The Spirit Level argues, to conflict and unrest. The limited opportunities afforded to those without sufficient economic means can only impact negatively on society as a whole, because that society then cannot benefit from the fully-developed knowledge and talents of all its members.