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Class Structure and the US Personal Income Distribution, 1918–2012

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  • Simon Mohun

Abstract

Quantitative measures of class, by percentile position and income share, are constructed using U.S. personal income distribution tax†unit data from 1918 to 2012. Three classes are identified: ‘capitalists’ with sufficient non†labour income that they do not need an employment contract (although typically they are in employment); ‘managers’, with insufficient non†labour income to meet that threshold; and ‘workers’ with no supervisory responsibilities in employment. Class measures of inequality show that inequality was very much greater by 2010†11 than at any time since 1918. The paper concludes with how causal explanations might be constructed and how the data might be used.

Suggested Citation

  • Simon Mohun, 2016. "Class Structure and the US Personal Income Distribution, 1918–2012," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(2), pages 334-363, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:metroe:v:67:y:2016:i:2:p:334-363
    DOI: 10.1111/meca.12107
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    Cited by:

    1. Lilian N. Rolim & Carolina Troncoso Baltar & Gilberto Tadeu Lima, 2023. "Income distribution, productivity growth, and workers’ bargaining power in an agent-based macroeconomic model," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 33(2), pages 473-516, April.
    2. Stefan Ederer & Maximilian Mayerhofer & Miriam Rehm, 2021. "Rich and ever richer? Differential returns across socioeconomic groups," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(2), pages 283-301, April.
    3. Kumar, Rishabh, 2021. "Personal income inequality in USA from a two-class perspective: 2004-2018," SocArXiv fmkj3, Center for Open Science.
    4. Clara Zanon Brenck, 2022. "Inequality, Debt Dynamics and the Incidence of Tax Rates: Addressing Macroeconomic Instability in a Post Keynesian Model," Working Papers 2212, New School for Social Research, Department of Economics.

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