2023-12-18 12:34:32
Thomas Piketty gained worldwide fame by exploiting tax return data for the first time. SANDER KONING/AFP
Time.news – The economist calculated the share of pre-tax income earned by the richest 1% in the United States. Its quite astonishing results have deeply permeated the public debate, fueling the arguments of protest movements and the political agendas of the left.
For Tocqueville, the combination of the democratic movement and industrial society necessarily results in a strengthening of the ranks of the middle classes, and a reduction, over the decades, in the number of the very fortunate. Conversely, according to Marx, the fundamental conflict between labor and the owners of the means of production irremediably installs at the heart of capitalist societies a fierce class struggle, the final expression of which can only be world revolution.
Since the 19th century, the terms of the debate on inequality have evolved, certainly not the passion it arouses. One of its most popular contemporary protagonists, Thomas Piketty, gained worldwide fame by exploiting tax return data for the first time. In his 2013 bestseller Capital in the 21st centurythe economist draws on his research to argue that increasing inequality is an inevitable consequence of the rise of businesses…
This article is reserved for subscribers. You have 75% left to discover.
Do you want to read more?
Unlock all items immediately.
Already subscribed? Log in
#Thomas #Piketty #rebuffed #peers