The Economics of Inequality

Resumen del libro

Thomas Piketty'whose Capital in the Twenty-First Century pushed inequality to the forefront of public debate'wrote The Economics of Inequality as an introduction to the conceptual and factual background necessary for interpreting changes in economic inequality over time. This concise text has established itself as an indispensable guide for students and general readers in France, where it has been regularly updated and revised. Translated by Arthur Goldhammer, The Economics of Inequality now appears in English for the first time.

Piketty begins by explaining how inequality evolves and how economists measure it. In subsequent chapters, he explores variances in income and ownership of capital and the variety of policies used to reduce these gaps. Along the way, with characteristic clarity and precision, he introduces key ideas about the relationship between labor and capital, the effects of different systems of taxation, the distinction between 'historical' and 'political' time, the impact of education and technological change, the nature of capital markets, the role of unions, and apparent tensions between the pursuit of efficiency and the pursuit of fairness.

Biografía del autor

x{0026}lt;strong Thomas Pikettyx{0026}lt;/strong (Clichy, Francia, 1971) es doctor en economía y especialista en la desigualdad económica. Es jefe de estudios en la École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales de París y profesor en la École dx{0026} x02019;Économie de París. Ha publicado diversos libros, entre los que destaca x{0026}lt;em El capital en el siglo XXI x{0026}lt;/em (FCE). En 2002 recibió el Premio al Mejor Joven Economista de Francia, otorgado por x{0026}lt;em Le Mondex{0026}lt;/em y Le Cercle des économistes, y en 2013 el Premio Yrjö Jahnsson. En enero de 2015 rechazó la distinción de la Legión de Honor.