The first World Inequality Report (WIR2018), documents a sharp rise in global economic inequality since the 1980s despite strong growth in emerging economies. It also discusses country-to-country inequality trajectories (including UK's wealth inequality dynamics) and highlights the importance of policy-making in the diverging trends observed across countries and world regions.
The report, first launched in December last year at the Paris School of Economics, was coordinated by Facundo Alvaredo, Lucas Chancel, Thomas Piketty, Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman. It draws from new findings of the World Wealth and Income Database (a project which regroups more than 100 researchers all over the world) and provides the first systemic assessment of globalization in terms of income and wealth inequality since 1980.
This discussion will examine the implications of the report findings.
Lucas Chancel (@ChancelLucas) is a social scientist, with expertise in the economics of inequality and in environmental policy. His work focuses on the measurement of economic inequality, its interactions with sustainable development and on the implementation of social and ecological policies. Lucas is Co-Director of the World Inequality Lab and of WID.world at the Paris Scool of Economics (PSE). He is also a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) and Lecturer at Sciences Po.
Duncan Green (@fp2p) is Senior Strategic Adviser at Oxfam GB, Professor in Practice in International Development at LSE, Honorary Professor of International Development at Cardiff University and a Visiting Fellow at the Institute for Development Studies. He is author of How Change Happens (OUP, October 2016) and From Poverty to Power: How Active Citizens and Effective States can Change the World (Oxfam International, 2008, second edition 2012). He was previously Oxfam’s Head of Research, a Visiting Fellow at Notre Dame University, a Senior Policy Adviser on Trade and Development at the Department for International Development (DFID), a Policy Analyst on trade and globalization at CAFOD, the Catholic aid agency for England and Wales and Head of Research and Engagement at the Just Pensions project on socially responsible investment.
Paul Segal is Senior Lecturer in Economics at the International Development Dept of Kings College London and Visiting Fellow at International Inequalities Institute LSE. He is an economist with wide-ranging interests, working on global inequality and poverty, on the economics of resource-rich countries, and on the economic history of Argentina and Mexico. He has pioneered the use of the new top incomes data in analysing global inequality, and is currently working on new approaches to inequality
Rebecca Simson is Junior Research fellow, Institute of Historical Research. She has also been working on an Atlantic Fellows supported project at the International Inequalities Institute at LSE - developing a research programme to study cases of inequality decline and redistributive policy-making in developing countries with a focus on the political conditions that led to their adoption.
Mike Savage (@MikeSav47032563) is Martin White Professor of Sociology at LSE and co-Director of LSE International Inequalities Institute.
The International Inequalities Institute at LSE brings together experts from many LSE departments and centres to lead critical and cutting edge research to understand why inequalities are escalating in numerous arenas across the world, and to develop critical tools to address these challenges. Follow III on Twitter: @LSEInequalities
Twitter Hashtag for this event is: #LSEWIR2018