Is Inequality the Problem?

This book draws from a vast trove of research on the rich democracies to argue that while inequality is normatively a problem and we should therefore work to reduce it, the evidence from wealthier countries does not show that income inequality has contributed much at all to the other social ills it is associated with: declines in living standards, worse health outcomes, reductions in happiness, less opportunity, and diminished democracy. Instead of trying to repair these ills indirectly via a reduction in economic inequality, policy makers are more likely to make progress by pursuing these goals directly. This contrarian yet balanced account of one of the main social problems of our era will reshape our understanding of how rising economic inequality has affected societies in the industrialized world.