INEQUALITIES IN THE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF EUROPEAN COUNTRIES.

Purpose: Socio-economic inequalities are an inherent part of the functioning of societies. These inequalities primarily concern differences in income, material living conditions, education, and health. Despite progress in civilizational development, this issue persists, leading to increased societal discontent, which in turn results in uncontrolled migration, terrorism, and difficulties in ensuring energy security. The rejection of global inequality (both social and consequently political) has become one of the most important reasons for seeking ways to mitigate these unfavorable phenomena. Developmental issues threaten political stability, but above all, they weaken the dynamics of socio-economic development in countries. These considerations do not aspire to comprehensively address the issue of social inequalities worldwide but instead focus on selected aspects analyzing the asymmetry of social development. The aim of this research is to assess the differences in the level of social development in selected European countries in the years 2010 and 2022. Methodology: For the assessment in question, a descriptive method was applied using the Human Development Index (HDI) and Gini coefficient indicators, Ward's method, and the Lorenz curve. These were used to analyze and evaluate the variations in the level of social development in selected European countries, along with determining their ranking positions. The HDI indicator allowed for capturing the distance that separates European countries in terms of social development (long and healthy life, knowledge, and a decent standard of living). Based on data obtained from HDI, the Gini coefficient enabled the evaluation of income distribution inequality in the studied countries, while cluster analysis helped identify similarities between countries concerning their level of social development. Findings: The research results indicate that despite overall progress in social development, inequalities in the level of social development persist among the 32 European countries analyzed. The countries studied exhibit significant disparities in social development levels, despite the fact that nearly all of them belong to the group of nations with the highest levels of social development worldwide (with only Bulgaria holding the top position among countries with high social development). Widening asymmetries are even observed, as evidenced by Bulgaria's HDI indicator. Research limitations/implications: Due to the still significant inequalities, there is a need to intensify efforts aimed at counteracting them, which could ultimately lead to an improvement in the quality of life. Originality/value: The analysis is crucial for assessing the gap between European countries in terms of social development levels, in the context of global efforts aimed at improving societal well-being and promoting social inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]