New Zealand comes only 11th out of the 20 rugby-playing nations on income equality, but scores better overall because it tops the world on both the global peace index, which measures internal violence as well as wars, and transparency (low corruption).
Japan scores highest overall because it has the highest level of income equality, is second-highest of the 20 nations on the global peace index and third-highest on gender equality.
Ireland and Samoa come next partly because they have the lowest levels of military spending - only 0.6 per cent of the national income in Ireland compared with 1.1 per cent in New Zealand, and zero in Samoa, which has no armed forces.
"Military spending and the peace index are proxy indicators, not a direct measure of inequality," Mr de Jong said. "It's a general experience that countries that spend a lot on the military tend to be more socially unequal."
High military spending, 1.9 per cent of national income, also pushes Australia down the scale, even though it shares out its income slightly more equally than we do. England, Scotland and Wales score first-equal on foreign aid because Britain gives 0.56 per cent of its national income in aid, more than twice New Zealand's 0.26 per cent.
FAIRNESS
1 - Japan
2 - Ireland
3 - Samoa
4 - Canada
5 - New Zealand
15 - USA
16 - Fiji
17 - Georgia
18 - South Africa
19 - Namibia
20 - Russia
