Why Is Europe More Equal than the United States?t

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Blanchet, Thomas; Chancel, Lucas; Gethin, Amory
• 署名单位: University of California System; University of California Berkeley; Paris School of Economics; Institut d'Etudes Politiques Paris (Sciences Po); Paris School of Economics
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-APPLIED ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1945-7782
• DOI: 10.1257/app.20200703
• 发表日期: 2022
• 页码: 480-+
• 关键词: income inequality

摘要

This article combines all available data to produce pretax and post -tax income inequality series in 26 European countries from 1980 to 2017. Our estimates are consistent with macroeconomic growth and comparable with US distributional national accounts. 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. (JEL D31, E01, H23, H24, H50, I38)