Income Inequality in OECD Countries
This book provides a comprehensive review of income inequality issues in the OECD in a
cross-country setting. It presents a wealth of data and analysis on the formation of
inequality and identifies groups of countries that share similar inequality patterns. It
also reviews developments at the extremes of the income distribution, namely poverty, top
incomes as well as the distribution of wealth. An important contribution of the book is
the careful examination of the determinants of the income distribution, such as
globalisation and technical progress as well as the effect of a wide range of economic
policies that shape the distribution of income. These include in particular labour market
regulations, household taxes and transfers as well as in-kind public services. It also
sheds light on an under-researched issue: do policies aimed at boosting economic growth
raise or reduce income inequality?
Introduction; Mapping Inequality Across the OECD;
The Distribution of Labour Income;
Income Redistribution via Taxes and Transfers;
Poverty; Top Incomes;
The Distribution of Wealth;
Conclusion: Growth-Enhancing Policies and Inequality.
250 pages, Hardcover