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Politics, Not Economics, Ultimately Drives Inequality

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  • Jon D. Wisman
Abstract
Over the past 40 years, inequality has exploded in the U.S. and significantly increased in virtually all nations. Why? The current debate typically identifies the causes as economic, due to some combination of technological change, globalization, inadequate education, demographics, and most recently, Piketty's claim that it is the rate of return on capital exceeding the growth rate. But to the extent true, these are proximate causes. They all take place within a political framework in which they could in principle be neutralized or reversed. Indeed, this mistake is itself political. It masks the true cause of inequality and presents it as if natural, due to the forces of progress, just as in pre-modern times it was the will of gods. By examining three broad distributional changes in modern times, this article demonstrates the dynamics by which inequality is a political phenomenon through and through. It places special emphasis on the role played by ideology -- politics' most powerful instrument -- in making inequality appear as necessary.

Suggested Citation

  • Jon D. Wisman, 2017. "Politics, Not Economics, Ultimately Drives Inequality," Working Papers 2017-06, American University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:amu:wpaper:2017-06
    DOI: 10.17606/xnpa-7x61
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. On extra-parliamentary action
      by chris in Stumbling and Mumbling on 2017-05-04 20:05:44

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Political power; Distribution; Legitimation; Ideology;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • B00 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - General - - - History of Economic Thought, Methodology, and Heterodox Approaches
    • Z18 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Public Policy
    • N3 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy

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