Inequality

Do you think that Piketty blames the economic growth which causes inequality for causing crises? 

• No, crises occur whenever there is a collapse in the financial system but they do not have to do with economic growth.

• Yes, economic growth leads to the accumulation of wealth and the standstill of middle-classes, causing crises more easily.

Did the First and Second World War had an impact on the top shares?

• No, they remain very wealthy to the extent that they almost didn’t notice that their incomes were falling.

• Yes, they were affected and that led to a decrease in inequality.

• Yes, they were affected but not as much as the working class, so inequality actually increased during that period.

Among the factors that influence the top incomes in the long run of history, which one do you think that had a bigger importance?

• Politics and Political Economy

• Macroeconomics and Financial Crisis

• Global Forces

• Progressive Taxation

By increasing too much the tax rate to multinational corporations and by decreasing it to self-employed people, what would happen?

• It would not have any repercussions.

• We would generate an unsustainable economy as multinational corporations would not operate in our country and the rate of unemployment would increase.

•  It would be an inefficient measure as inequality would still be there.

• We would collect more taxes and then, we would be able to increase the public spending.

As we know from Kuznets, inequality in income distribution diminished at the beginning of the 20th Century in current developed countries, but his analysis on income was measured before direct taxes and contributions made by the government. If we apply direct taxes, what would happen?

• Inequality will be worsened

• Inequality will remain constant

• Inequality will differ in developing countries

• Inequality will fall

According to Bourguignon, what has been the role played by Asia in the inequality trend of the late 20th Century and during the beginning of the 21st Century?

• It depends, certain countries such as China have contributed to reduce inequality due to its impressive economic growth

• Asia has been the major source of disequalizing force during the last decades

• Certain countries such as the Asian Tigers have contributed to a widening trend in global inequality

• Asia hasn’t represented a source of change in the inequality topic