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Why We All Care About Inequality (But Some of Us Are Loathe to Admit It)

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  • Branko Milanovic

Abstract

Many economists dismiss the relevance of inequality (if everybody's income goes up, who cares if inequality is up too?), and argue that only poverty alleviation should matter. This note shows that we all do care about inequality, and to hold that we should be concerned with poverty solely and not with inequality is internally inconsistent.

Suggested Citation

  • Branko Milanovic, 2007. "Why We All Care About Inequality (But Some of Us Are Loathe to Admit It)," Challenge, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(6), pages 109-120.
    • Handle: RePEc:mes:challe:v:50:y:2007:i:6:p:109-120
    DOI: 10.2753/0577-5132500605
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sen, Amartya, 2000. "Social justice and the distribution of income," Handbook of Income Distribution, in: A.B. Atkinson & F. Bourguignon (ed.), Handbook of Income Distribution, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 1, pages 59-85, Elsevier.
    2. Thorbecke, Erik & Charumilind, Chutatong, 2002. "Economic Inequality and Its Socioeconomic Impact," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(9), pages 1477-1495, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Aboozar Hadavand, 2017. "Misperceptions and mismeasurements: An analysis of subjective economic inequality," Working Papers 449, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    2. Syrovátka, Miroslav & Schlossarek, Martin, 2019. "Measuring development with inequality: How (should) aggregate indicators of development account for inequality?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1-1.

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