Changing Inequalities and Societal Impacts in Rich Countries: Thirty Countries' Experiences

There has been a remarkable upsurge of debate about increasing inequalities and their societal implications, reinforced by the economic crisis but bubbling to the surface before it. This has been seen in popular discourse, media coverage, political debate, and research in the social sciences. The central questions addressed by this book, and the major research project GINI on which it is based, are: - Have inequalities in income, wealth and education increased over the past 30 years or so across the rich countries, and if so why? - What are the social, cultural and political impacts of increasing inequalities in income, wealth and education? - What are the implications for policy and for the future development of welfare states? In seeking to answer these questions, this book adopts an interdisciplinary approach that draws on economics, sociology, and political science, and applies a common analytical framework to the experience of 30 advanced countries, namely all the EU member states except Cyprus and Malta, together with the USA, Japan, Canada, Australia and South Korea. It presents a description and analysis of the experience of each of these countries over the past three decades, together with an introduction, an overview of inequality trends, and a concluding chapter highlighting key findings and implications. These case-studies bring out the variety of country experiences and the importance of framing inequality trends in the institutional and policy context of each country if one is to adequately capture and understand the evolution of inequality and its impacts. Contributors to this volume - Aigul Alieva, CEPS/ INSTEAD Robert Andersen, University of Toronto Laszlo Andor Isabel Andrade Jennie Bacchus Hertzman, CHESS, Stockholm University Olof Backman, SOFI, Stockholm University Gabriele Ballarino, University of Milan Luna Bellani, CEPS/ INSTEAD Jenni Blomgren, Kela Bogdan Bogdanov, National Statistical Institute, Bulgaria Ida Borg, SOFI, Stockholm University Michela Braga, University of Milan Massimiliano Bratti, University of Milan Michat Brzezinski, University of Warsaw Emma Calvert, Queen's University Jiyeun Chang, Korea Labor Institute Daniele Checchi, University of Milan Byung You Cheon, Hanshin University Giacomo Corneo, Free University of Berlin Ian O' Donnell, UCD School of Law Kerly Espenberg, University of Tartu Fanny Etienne-Robert, CEPS/ INSTEAD Zoltan Fabian, Tarki Tony Fahey, University College Dublin Carlos Farinha Rodrigues, School of Economics and Management, Lisbon Tommy Ferrarini, SOFI, Stockholm University Ada Ferrer-i-Carbonell, CSIC Masa Filipovic Hrast, University of Ljubljana Antonio Filippin, University of Milan Carlo Fiorio, University of Milan Nicolas Fremeaux, Paris School of Economics Nina-Sophie Fritsch, University of Vienna Johan Fritzell, CHESS, Stockholm University Alessio Fusco, CEPS/ INSTEAD Andras Gabos, Tarki Marloes de Graaf-Zijl, University of Amsterdam Anne-Catherine Guio, CEPS/ INSTEAD Martin Guzi, IZA Christina Haas, University of Amsterdam Deirdre Healy, UCD School of Law Heikki Hiilamo, Hanshin University Gyu Seong Hwang, Hanshin University Miroljub Ignjatovic, University of Ljubljana Petya Ivanova, Tsenov Academy of Economics Barbara Jancewicz, University of Warsaw Martin Kahanec, CELSI Shin Wook Kang, Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs Olli Kangas, Kela Margarita Katsimi, Athens University of Economics and Business Lane Kenworthy, University of Arizona Hyun Joo Kim, Hanshin University Miki Kohara, Osaka University Marianna Kopasz, Budapest University of Economic Sciences Iryna Kyzyma, CEPS/ INSTEAD Bram Lancee, Social Science Research Center Berlin Kristell Leduc, CEPS/ INSTEAD Byung Hee Lee, Korea Labor Institute Marco Leonardi, University of Milan Natalia Letki, University of Warsaw Philippe Liegeois, CEPS/ INSTEAD Mitch McIvor, University of Toronto Abigail McKnight, London School of Economics Bertrand Maitre, The Economic and Social Research Institute Monika Martiskova, CELSI Ive Marx, University of Antwerp Anu Masso, University of Tartu Jaan Masso, University of Tartu Marton Medgyesi, Tarki Elena Meschi, Foscari University of Venice Inta Mierina, University of Warsaw Thomas Moutos, Athens University of Economics and Business Aogan Mulcahy, University College Dublin Ioana Neamtu, Aarhus University Kenneth Nelson, SOFI, Stockholm University Mikko Niemela, Kela Brian Nolan, University College Dublin Michelle Norris, University College Dublin Natascha Notten, Radboud University Nijmegen Fumio Ohtake, Osaka University Monica Oviedo, Autonomous University of Barcelona George Pagoulatos, Athens University of Economics and Business Silvia Panteleeva, Tsenov Academy of Economics Kaia Philips, University of Tartu Maria Noel Pi Alperin, CEPS/ INSTEAD Thomas Piketty, Paris School of Economics Reinhard Pollak, Social Science Research Center Berlin Iuliana Precupetu, Research Institute for Quality of Life Marius Precupetu, Research Institute for Quality of Life Xavier Ramos, Autonomous University of Barcelona Anne Reinstadler, CEPS/ INSTEAD Wiemer Salverda, University of Amsterdam Francesco Scervini, University of Milan Jin Wook Shin, Chung-Ang University Zuzana Siebertova, Comenius University Eva Sierminska, CEPS/ INSTEAD Timothy Smeeding, University of Wisconsin-Madison Denisa Sologon, CEPS/ INSTEAD Dimitri Sotiropoulos, University of Athens Peter Szivos, Tarki Roland Teitzer, University of Vienna Patrick Thill, CEPS/ INSTEAD Istvan Gyorgy Toth, Tarki Tobias Troger, University of Vienna Tiffany Tsang, LSE Vassil Tsanov, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Herman van de Werfhorst, University of Amsterdam Philippe Van Kerm, CEPS/ INSTEAD Tim Van Rie, University of Antwerp Marie Valentova, CEPS/ INSTEAD Roland Verwiebe, University of Vienna Bogdan Voicu, CEPS/ INSTEAD Niels Westergaard-Nielsen, Aarhus University Christopher T. Whelan, University College Dublin Peter Whiteford, Australian National University Laura Wiesbock, University of Vienna Nessa Winston, University College Dublin Sonja Zmerli, Goethe University