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Public Economics and Inequality: Uncovering Our Social Nature

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  • Emmanuel Saez

Abstract

This paper argues that the social nature of humans, absent from the standard economic model, is crucial for understanding our large modern social states and why concerns about inequality are so pervasive. A social solution arises when a situation is resolved at the group level (rather than the individual level) through cooperation and fair distribution of the resulting surplus. In human societies, childcare and education for the young, retirement benefits for the old, health care for the sick, and income support for those in need are resolved at the social level and through the social state in advanced economies. Social situations are pervasive even outside government and play a significant role in the distribution of pretax market incomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Emmanuel Saez, 2021. "Public Economics and Inequality: Uncovering Our Social Nature," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 111, pages 1-26, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:apandp:v:111:y:2021:p:1-26
    DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20211098
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    File URL: https://doi.org/10.3886/E137121V1
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    Cited by:

    1. Bíró, Anikó & Prinz, Dániel & Sándor, László, 2022. "The minimum wage, informal pay, and tax enforcement," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    2. Bental, Benjamin & Kragl, Jenny, 2021. "Inequality and incentives with societal other-regarding preferences," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 1298-1324.
    3. Marko Ledić & Ivica Rubil & Ivica Urban, 2023. "Tax progressivity and social welfare with a continuum of inequality views," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 30(5), pages 1266-1296, October.
    4. Hanzl, Lisa, 2024. "The Role of Public Space: Libraries and Racial Inequality in Education," VfS Annual Conference 2024 (Berlin): Upcoming Labor Market Challenges 302387, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    5. Thomas Piketty & Emmanuel Saez & Gabriel Zucman, 2022. "Twenty Years and Counting: Thoughts about Measuring the Upper Tail," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 20(1), pages 255-264, March.
    6. Benoît Walraevens, 2023. "Ideologies and Utopia: A Ricoeurian Reading of Thomas Piketty," Post-Print hal-04195650, HAL.
    7. Arash Nekoei, 2022. "Will Markets Provide Humane Jobs? A Hypothesis," CESifo Working Paper Series 9533, CESifo.
    8. Benoît Walraevens, 2021. "The triumph of injustice. Wealth, tax evasion and democracy [Inégalités économiques, justice fiscale et démocratie aux USA]," Post-Print hal-03554121, HAL.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions

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