Nobody says people should be paid equally. That makes no sense, there are different types of work and efforts involved. However, when most can't make ends meet

Nobody says people should be paid equally. That makes no sense, there are different types of work and efforts involved. However, when most can't make ends meet and few have more than the rest, this "inequality" thing becomes a big problem. When there is a decent standard of living, access to healthcare, housing, education, then inequality is more than welcome, it becomes as you say an incentive to to better.