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Economic inequality in the United States

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  • Janet L. Yellen

Abstract

This Economic Letter is adapted from the 2006-2007 Economics of Governance Lecture delivered by Janet L. Yellen, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, at the Center for the Study of Democracy, University of California, Irvine, on November 6, 2006. ; My topic today is the performance of the U.S. economy, with a focus on how trends for the economy as a whole have been playing out for our nation's individuals and families. One area I'd like to examine in particular is how the income that has been generated by our economy over the past three decades or so has been distributed among the various income groups, from the top to the bottom.

Suggested Citation

  • Janet L. Yellen, 2006. "Economic inequality in the United States," FRBSF Economic Letter, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, issue dec1.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedfel:y:2006:i:dec1:n:2006-33-34
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lazear, Edward P & Rosen, Sherwin, 1981. "Rank-Order Tournaments as Optimum Labor Contracts," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 89(5), pages 841-864, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Marwil J. Dávila-Fernández & Lionello F. Punzo, 2018. "Some New Insights on Financialisation and Income Inequality," Department of Economics University of Siena 792, Department of Economics, University of Siena.
    2. Bieri, David, 2006. "Picking a Winner? Evidence from the Non-Manufacturing High-Tech Industry in the Blacksburg MSA," MPRA Paper 1079, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 06 Dec 2006.
    3. Susan HOUSEMAN, 2007. "Outsourcing, offshoring and productivity measurement in United States manufacturing," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 146(1-2), pages 61-80, March.
    4. Michal Jerzmanowski & Malhar Nabar, 2013. "Financial Development And Wage Inequality: Theory And Evidence," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 51(1), pages 211-234, January.
    5. Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn & Joan Maya Mazelis, 2017. "More Unequal in Income, More Unequal in Wellbeing," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 132(3), pages 953-975, July.

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