EXPLAINING WEALTH INEQUALITY : property, possession and policy reform.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Atkinson, Benedict.

Series:

Routledge Frontiers of Political Economy

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Wealth--Moral and ethical aspects.

Wealth.

Equality--Economic aspects.

Equality.

Income distribution.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (97 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

[S.l.] : ROUTLEDGE, 2021.

Summary:

This book discusses the origins of wealth inequality and explains how societies can reform to avoid the catastrophe of inequality-induced social breakdown. It develops a theoretical and practical understanding of the principles behind the concept of ownership and property, complete with historical examples. It proposes a new research perspective focusing on how the problem of wealth concentration is ameliorated by cooperative and collaborative initiatives to enhance the public sphere, without derogating from the private. The book is based on research data compiled from taxation and household data to explore the theme that wealth inequality is made inevitable by possessive behaviour expressed in possessive language. It shows that while inequality is inescapable, we can adopt policies where resources are more efficiently and broadly distributed for public benefit. Such policies are directed towards encouraging voluntary, as opposed to compulsory, wealth transfer to achieve public good. The primary market for the book consists of academics and students from the fields of economics, including growth and developmental economics, law, sociology, history, business and international trade. It also provides a practical resource for government policy analysts wanting to develop a more detailed understanding of the role played by wealth inequality in a range of social problems.

Contents:

Cover

Half Title

Series Page

Title Page

Copyright Page

Table of Contents

Part I Possession and property

Chapter 1 Language and possession

Possessiveness is pre-determined by language

Self and possession

Social consequences of possessive grammar

Contest for sovereignty

Note

Chapter 2 Grammar and property systems

Antithesis

Prisoners of possessiveness

The result of contest is property systems

CASE STUDY: Solon and Lycurgus

The Attic crisis

The lesson of Solon

Possession and egalitarianism

Link between state and property system

Chapter 3 Possession and exclusion

Who, whom?

Process of exclusion

Sovereignty

CASE STUDY - Roman Republic

Social conflict

Contest of aristocrats and people

Chapter 4 Crypto-freedom and privacy

Crypto-freedom

Of human bondage

CASE STUDY: feudalism

Possession and social separation

Chapter 5 Social consequences of ownership

Social consequences of ownership

CASE STUDY - Spanish Americas

Social inequality

Notes

Chapter 6 Wealth concentration

The property system

Trusts as instruments of wealth concentration

Companies as instruments of wealth concentration

Intellectual property as an instrument of wealth concentration

Property systems

The future

Covenants, consensus and consent

Part II Inequality and distribution

Chapter 7 Paratrophic action

Wealth exteriorises control

Against paratrophic action

Social inequality: the sum of exclusions

Measuring inequality

Reconstruction

CASE STUDY - Singapore

Chapter 8 Proposals

Purpose

Map the public domain

Protecting the public domain

Agency or authority

Conclusion

References

Index.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

1-00-318876-1

1-000-47073-3

1-003-18876-1

1-000-47076-8

9781003188766

OCLC:

1263874847