The current cost of living is pushing more people into poverty, with almost 68% of low income...
Inequality
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12/03/2013
Addressing global inequalities
Inequalities are a 'global challenge', says a new report from United Nations agencies. Similar kinds of inequalities are faced in common by people across the world, and they have deep consequences for everyone in society.
The report presents the outcome of a global consultation exercise, including an open online forum for input from the public and non-government groups.
Category: Reports -
04/03/2013
Potential for fairer income distribution
The potential for a fairer distribution of income has been highlighted in a report from the High Pay Centre. It charts the 'meteoric' rise in pay for those at the top of the distribution, and gives examples of how the resulting inequalities could be flattened out.
The High Pay Centre is a non-party think tank established to monitor pay at the top of the income distribution.
Category: Reports -
11/02/2013
‘Self-serving myth’ of global talent pool for CEOs
The justification frequently given for extremely high pay rates among company executives is a 'self-serving myth', according to the findings of a think-tank study. It says there is little or no evidence for the notion of a 'global talent pool', where high pay is supposedly needed to attract the best candidates.
The study draws on data from the 'Fortune Global 500' of CEO appointments from the largest companies in the world.
Category: Reports -
04/02/2013
Extreme wage inequality – new evidence
New evidence on the growth in pay at the very top of the wage distribution has been presented in a paper by researchers at the LSE's Centre for Economic Performance. The authors point out that the remarkable rise in the share of income and wages taken by those toward the very top of the distribution is a missing element in much recent research.
Category: Reports -
10/12/2012
Financial sector blamed for rising inequality
Major shifts in economic structure in recent decades are to blame for rising income inequality and the declining share of national income going to wages, say two new studies. The growing importance of the financial services sector is a key factor.
The first study, from the TUC, finds the share of national income going to wages has fallen over the last thirty years from 59 to 53 per cent, whereas the proportion going to profits has increased from 25 to 29 per cent. The main reason has been the decline of industries that spend a high proportion of turnover on wages (such as manufacturing) and the expansion of new industries that have a far higher profit margin (such as financial services). In fact the whole of the rise in profits' share of national income since 1980 went to just to one industry – financial services. That trend is also closely linked with rising inequality in incomes.
Category: Reports -
10/12/2012
Inequality prompts support for redistribution
Income inequality leads to popular support for redistribution, according to a study that looked at evidence from 33 European countries over the period 2002–2010. It was also found that the actual level of redistribution implemented in a country decreases support for more redistribution.
Category: Reports -
05/12/2012
‘Myth’ of social mobility in USA
Social mobility is relatively poor in the USA, contrary to the popular perception, according to a report prepared by the Congressional research service. The USA also appears to be have one of the most unequal distributions of income of all major industrialised countries, and to be among the nations experiencing the greatest increases in measures of income dispersion. The share of income in the USA going to the bottom quintile (the poorest 20 per cent) has remained little changed in recent few decades at less than 4 per cent, whereas the share taken by the top 5 per cent rose from 16.3 per cent in 1968 to 22.3 per cent in 2011.
Category: Reports -
04/12/2012
Inequality drives material deprivation in Europe
Increased levels of income inequality are associated with increased material deprivation, according to a new study of European countries. Researchers used data from the EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) to investigate the key drivers of material deprivation across countries and over time. They focused on the role of growth (or decline) in average income, and the relationship between material deprivation and income inequality.
Category: Reports -
20/11/2012
‘Government fails to deliver’ on income inequality
More action is needed to address income inequality, according to a collection of articles scrutinising the coalition government's record mid-way through its term of office. Despite early suggestions that inequality would be a high priority for the government, it has so far failed to deliver.
Category: Reports -
17/11/2012
Inequality plays big role in US Presidential election
The 2012 US Presidential elections were unusual for the relatively important role played by issues of inequality and the distribution of income and wealth, says a paper by researchers at the London School of Economics. On this occasion Americans seemed to abandon their normally 'relaxed' attitude to inequality.
Category: Reports
