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Economic inequality, social policy and a good society

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  • Nat O'Connor

Abstract

The economic discourse on bringing about a fairer or more equal society has thus tended to focus heavily on increasing the cash income of disadvantaged households, while lessening the focus on non-cash economic benefits derived from social policies. The dominance of cash in the economic inequality discourse leads inexorably to (perhaps well-intentioned) policies to reduce personal taxation for lower income households and to increase their cash incomes, including the recently popular idea of an unconditional Universal Basic Income. This paper argues that innovative direct solutions to the provision of various goods and services by alternative means tend to be squeezed out of the current discourse about economic inequality. Through analysis of the Minimum Essential Standard of Living, an argument is made that a more sophisticated social policy discourse is needed to tackle disparities in people’s material conditions, beyond a focus on cash income, in order to bring about the foundational conditions for a good society even in the context of low economic growth and/or fiscal austerity.

Suggested Citation

  • Nat O'Connor, 2018. "Economic inequality, social policy and a good society," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 33(6), pages 583-600, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:loceco:v:33:y:2018:i:6:p:583-600
    DOI: 10.1177/0269094218802987
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Jonathan David Ostry & Andrew Berg & Charalambos G Tsangarides, 2014. "Redistribution, Inequality, and Growth," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 14/02, International Monetary Fund.
    5. Federico Cingano, 2014. "Trends in Income Inequality and its Impact on Economic Growth," OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers 163, OECD Publishing.
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