Category Archives: vertical inequality

Stand up for (measuring) vertical inequality

Published on Oxfam America’s Politics of Poverty blog

Global development leaders need better data to keep their eyes on the 1%.

150px-Cat_post2015How should the world measure and address inequality for a post 2015 development framework?

This question was the focus of last week’s forum at the Center for Global Development. The event was timely, given theUnited Nations General Assembly is convening this week in New York, and an important discussion concerns what will supersede the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) when they expire. Continue reading →

Three must-read books on income inequality

Published on Oxfam America’s Politics of Poverty blog

Great reads to add to your (late) summer reading list

1) The Haves and the Have-Nots: A Brief and Idiosyncratic History of Global Inequality by Branko Milanovic

This is a must read for anyone interested in both income inequality and great storytelling.Milanovic, who is Lead Economist in the World Bank research group, is uniquely gifted among researchers. In The Haves and the Have-Nots, he uses literature, history, and humor to explain the complexities of inequality both throughout time and in the current system. Throughout Branko ‘schools’ the reader with quick economics lessons, then follows with captivating vignettes exploring how the concepts operate in the real world. The Haves and the Have-Nots is one of my all-time favorite books on inequality, and it’s certainly one of the most entertaining reads within economics. Continue reading →