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Concentration among the Rich

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  • Anthony Barnes Atkinson

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to examine the concentration of wealth among the group of top wealth holders, defined as those with wealth in excess of a high cut off. The paper begins by considering the definition of this cut off, analogous to the definition of a poverty line at the other end of the distribution. It then considers what can be learned about the proportion classified as 'rich' and about the concentration among the rich from four non-survey sources: journalists' lists, estate data, wealth tax data, and investment income tax data.

Suggested Citation

  • Anthony Barnes Atkinson, 2006. "Concentration among the Rich," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2006-151, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:rp2006-151
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    File URL: https://www.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/rp2006-151.pdf
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    2. Paul Eckerstorfer & Johannes Halak & Jakob Kapeller & Bernhard Schütz & Florian Springholz & Rafael Wildauer, 2014. "Die Vermögensverteilung in Österreich und das Aufkommenspotenzial einer Vermögenssteuer," Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft - WuG, Kammer für Arbeiter und Angestellte für Wien, Abteilung Wirtschaftswissenschaft und Statistik, vol. 40(1), pages 63-81.
    3. Jeffrey Thompson & Timothy M. Smeeding, 2010. "Recent Trends in the Distribution of Income: Labor, Wealth and More Complete Measures of Well Being," Working Papers wp225, Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
    4. Jenny Chesters, 2016. "Trends in economic growth and levels of wealth inequality in G20 nations: 2001–2013," Contemporary Social Science, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(2-3), pages 270-281, July.
    5. Benjamin Ferschli & Jakob Kapeller & Bernhard Schütz & Rafael Wildauer, 2017. "Bestände und Konzentration privater Vermögen in Österreich 2014/2015," Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft - WuG, Kammer für Arbeiter und Angestellte für Wien, Abteilung Wirtschaftswissenschaft und Statistik, vol. 43(4), pages 499-533.
    6. Benno Torgler & Marco Piatti, 2013. "Extraordinary Wealth, Globalization, And Corruption," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 59(2), pages 341-359, June.
    7. Marcon, Giulio, 2021. "La ricchezza in Italia Rapporto di ricerca [Wealth in Italy. Research Report]," MPRA Paper 107809, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. , Stone Center & Segal, Paul, 2020. "Inequality as Entitlements over Labor," SocArXiv x9fhq, Center for Open Science.
    9. Eckerstorfer, Paul & Halak, Johannes & Kapeller, Jakob & Schütz, Bernhard & Springholz, Florian & Wildauer, Rafael, 2014. "Vermögen in Österreich," Greenwich Papers in Political Economy 23617, University of Greenwich, Greenwich Political Economy Research Centre.
    10. Paul Eckerstorfer & Viktor Stein & Florian Wakolbinger, 2013. "Steuerreformvorschläge in der Diskussion - Eine Mikrosimulationsanalyse der Aufkommens-, Beschäftigungs- und Verteilungswirkungen für Österreich," Economics working papers 2013-14, Department of Economics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria.
    11. Frank A Cowell & Eleni Karagiannaki & Abigail McKnight, 2012. "Mapping and measuring the distribution of household wealth: A cross-country analysis," CASE Papers case165, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, LSE.
    12. repec:cep:sticas:/165 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Anand, Ishan & Kumar, Rishabh, 2022. "The sky and the stratosphere: concentrated wealth in India during the ‘lost decade’," SocArXiv 726c8, Center for Open Science.
    14. Segal, Paul, 2020. "Inequality as entitlements over labour," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 104083, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    15. Eckerstorfer, Paul & Schütz, Bernhard & Halak, Johannes & Kapeller, Jakob & Springholz, Florian & Wildauer, Rafael, 2013. "Reichtumsverteilung in Österreich," Greenwich Papers in Political Economy 23616, University of Greenwich, Greenwich Political Economy Research Centre.
    16. Frank Cowell & Karagiannaki, E. (Eleni) & Abigail Mcknight, 2012. "GINI DP 71: Mapping and Measuring the Distribution of Household Wealth: A Cross-Country Analysis," GINI Discussion Papers 71, AIAS, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies.
    17. Henry Ohlsson & Jesper Roine & Daniel Waldenstrom, 2006. "Long-Run Changes in the Concentration of Wealth: An Overview of Recent Findings," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2006-103, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).

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