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Social Development Briefs |
The wave of popular protests seen in 2019 has largely subsided in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. New restrictions on movement and assembly are limiting large-scale gatherings, while opinion polls suggest that people in some affected countries are “rallying ‘round the flag”, as concerns about the impact of the crisis likely overtake long standing grievances. But as the immediate health crisis morphs into a long-term economic and social crisis with huge human costs, it has the potential to exacerbate past grievances, further undermining social cohesion and trust in institutions. Policies that ensure a more equitable, inclusive and less uncertain future are essential to avoid a return of…
Social Development Briefs |
Recent evidence suggests that labour markets are becoming increasingly polarized (World Bank, 2016; Breemersch, Damijan and Konings, 2017; Goos, Manning and Salomons, 2010; Autor, 2010). Middle-skill occupations are losing ground compared to low- and high-skill occupations. Skill-biased technological change, off-shoring, deindustrialization, import competition and labour market institutions are often cited as driving factors. This trend has, to an extent, contributed to the rise in income inequality observed in many countries as argued in the World Social Report 2020.
The discussion on polarization is often focused on the experience of developed countries, but there is some evidence…
Social Development Briefs |
The World Social Report 2020: Inequality in a Rapidly Changing World recognizes that mobilizing support for policies to promote greater equality can be difficult. However, it also points to pathways for political action to reduce inequality (United Nations, 2020). This brief explores the barriers to redistribution and how Governments can create an enabling environment for equitable change.
Barriers to redistribution Inequality is a major concern. In 2014, 60 per cent of survey respondents across 44 developed and developing countries, agreed that “the gap between the rich and poor is a very big problem” facing their countries (Pew Research Center, 2014). Rising inequalities can lead to…
Social Development Briefs |
Income inequality levels and trends vary greatly by country and depending on the indicator used. In its Poverty and Shared Prosperity Report 2016, the World Bank finds that income inequality within countries somewhat declined between the late 1990s and 2013 (World Bank, 2016). In contrast, the World Inequality Lab states that income inequality has increased in most countries in recent decades (World Inequality Lab, 2017). How can these two leading sources of information reach such different conclusions?
Read our Social Development Brief on “Income inequality trends: the choice of indicators matters”