32602

The Political Economy of Inequality and Redistribution in the US

Jonas von Ciriacy-Wantrup

Kommentar

The aim of this course is to understand why income and wealth inequality varies across space and time by focusing on one of the richest, but also one of the most unequal democracies of our time: The US. While in theory all citizens in a democracy have the same voting power - so one would expect democratic governments to act to keep inequality as low as possible - we see quite significant differences in economic inequality over time and space. Why is this? To answer these questions, the course examines different theories of inequality and different policy areas that affect inequality. We look at long-term trends in inequality and the structural features of capitalism that tend to push inequality upwards. We look at the wide range of policies in what is loosely termed the 'welfare state' that tend to mitigate the inequalities generated by market capitalism. We look at how demography, gender differences, migration and ethnicity relate to inequality. And we try to understand why elections sometimes produce governments that redistribute income and wealth from rich to poor, and sometimes produce governments that do the opposite. Finally, we look at how rising inequality - a clear trend in the rich world since the late 20th century - affects politics and democracy. Students with an interest in economic topics should take this course. No prior knowledge is required, but extensive reading is a prerequisite for successfully completing the course. Schließen

13 Termine

Regelmäßige Termine der Lehrveranstaltung

Mi, 16:00 - 18:00 13 Termine

Mi, 23.04.2025 16:00 - 18:00

Dozenten:
Jonas von Ciriacy-Wantrup