Scientific article
OA Policy
English

Macroeconomic conditions, inequality shocks and the politics of redistribution, 1990-2013

Published inJournal of European public policy, vol. 25, no. 1, p. 31-58
Publication date2018
Abstract

This paper explores common trends in inequality and redistribution across OECD countries from the late 1980s to 2013. Low-end inequality rises during economic downturns while rising top-end inequality is associated with economic growth. Most countries retreated from redistribution from the mid-1990s until the onset of the Great Recession and compensatory redistribution in response to rising unemployment was weaker in 2008-13 than in the first half of the 1990s. As unemployment and poverty risk have become increasingly become concentrated among workers with low education, middle-income opinion has become more permissive of cuts in unemployment insurance generosity and income assistance to the poor. At constant generosity, the expansion of more precarious forms of employment reduces compensatory redistribution during downturns because temporary employees do not have the same access to unemployment benefits as permanent employees.

Citation (ISO format)
PONTUSSON, Harry Jonas, WEISSTANNER, David. Macroeconomic conditions, inequality shocks and the politics of redistribution, 1990-2013. In: Journal of European public policy, 2018, vol. 25, n° 1, p. 31–58.
Main files (1)
Article (Published version)
accessLevelPublic
Identifiers
  • PID : unige:94905
Journal ISSN1350-1763
2634views
1098downloads

Technical informations

Creation15/06/2017 14:56:00
First validation15/06/2017 14:56:00
Update time15/03/2023 01:46:49
Status update15/03/2023 01:46:49
Last indexation31/10/2024 07:10:58
All rights reserved by Archive ouverte UNIGE and the University of GenevaunigeBlack