Why Is Europe More Equal Than the United States?
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Re: Why Is Europe More Equal Than the United States?
#2Healthcare and social policies make a big difference. Tax rates make a difference as well. Income distributions play a role as well.
Re: Why Is Europe More Equal Than the United States?
#3Healthcare and social policies make a big difference. Tax rates make a difference as well. Income distributions play a role as well.
Maybe at least read the abstract.
> Contrary to a widespread view, we demonstrate that Europe's lower inequality levels cannot be explained by more equalizing tax and transfer systems.
Re: Why Is Europe More Equal Than the United States?
#4I’m unconvinced that inequality matters. A better set of questions would be one like: how much does your parents (lack of) success predict your own? How likely are you to attain some arbitrary yet desirable standard of living, etc.
Inequality is related to these things but doesn’t necessarily block them.
Re: Why Is Europe More Equal Than the United States?
#5From the abstract:
> Inequality grew in nearly all European countries, but much less than in the US. Contrary to a widespread view, we demonstrate that Europe's lower inequality levels cannot be explained by more equalizing tax and transfer systems.
> After accounting for indirect taxes and in-kind transfers, the US redistributes a greater share of national income to low-income groups than any European country. "Predistribution," not "redistribution," explains why Europe is less unequal than the United States.
(Edit: thanks boulos for the direct PDF link and vlovich123 for finding their definition of the term)
Re: Why Is Europe More Equal Than the United States?
#6Is there any industrialized, developed nation that is worse than the U.S.A. in this regard? I heard bad things about the U.K. as well.
I turns out that having next to no social security, no accessible education for the poor and the bizarre legality of “legacy scholarships” has a certain effect.
How is it possible, I ask, that U.S.A. universities openly and notoriously give favorable treatment to the children of past alumni without this being shut down by the lawmaker or the courts?
Re: Why Is Europe More Equal Than the United States?
#7Direct Link to a PDF version: https://wid.world/document/why-is-europe-more-equal-than-the...
Re: Why Is Europe More Equal Than the United States?
#8I’m unconvinced that inequality matters. A better set of questions would be one like: how much does your parents (lack of) success predict your own? How likely are you to attain some arbitrary yet desirable standard of living, etc. Inequality is related to these things but doesn’t necessarily block them.
Outcome should still be proportional to effort and skill however.
There are many top-heavy systems where the top benefits far more than the middle even though the middle is close to as good. Consider sporting events where the second place receives 1/3 of the price of the winner, even if it was a very close finals. Yes, the winner played better, but not to the extent of warranting double the earnings.
Re: Why Is Europe More Equal Than the United States?
#9Is there any industrialized, developed nation that is worse than the U.S.A. in this regard? I heard bad things about the U.K. as well. I turns out that having next to no social security, no accessible education for the poor and the bizarre legality of “legacy scholarships” has a certain effect. How is it possible, I ask, that U.S.A. universities openly and notoriously give favorable treatment to the children of past…
If you're referring to George W. getting admitted to Yale, it's a private institution. They can do basically whatever they want.
Re: Why Is Europe More Equal Than the United States?
#10Is there any industrialized, developed nation that is worse than the U.S.A. in this regard? I heard bad things about the U.K. as well. I turns out that having next to no social security, no accessible education for the poor and the bizarre legality of “legacy scholarships” has a certain effect. How is it possible, I ask, that U.S.A. universities openly and notoriously give favorable treatment to the children of past…
> How is it possible, I ask, that U.S.A. universities openly and notoriously give favorable treatment to the children of past alumni without this being shut down by the lawmaker or the courts?
Private institutions can do as they see fit. Public universities not so much. So yes, Harvard alumni will have favorable treatment for their kids. SUNY Buffalo, not so much.