The Haves and the Have-Nots: A Brief and Idiosyncratic History of Global InequalityInequality is a surprisingly slippery issue. It involves not just straightforward comparisons of individuals, but also comparisons of price and consumption differences around the world - and over time. In The Haves and the Have-Nots, Branko Milanovic, the lead economist at the World Bank's research division, approaches the issue in a new and innovative way; through stories. Milanovic reveals just how rich Elizabeth Bennet's suitor Mr. Darcy really was; how wealthy ancient Romans compare to today's super-rich (for example, Nero vs. Paris Hilton); who the richest people are today; how we should think about Marxism in a modern world; and how location factors into wealth. This bold and entertaining book teaches us not only how to think about inequality, but also why it matters and - most importantly - what we can do about it. |
Contents
Unequal People | 3 |
Was Socialism Egalitarian? | 62 |
Can Several Countries Exist in One? | 87 |
Did the World Become More Unequal During | 166 |
Do You Want to Know the Winner Before | 219 |
Did Colonizers Exploit as Much as They Could? Vignette 3 8 Why Was Rawls Indifferent to Global | 232 |
Notes | 255 |
Further Readings | 287 |
Front Cover Flap | 313 |
Common terms and phrases
20 percent Africa American Anna Karenina arrondissements Asia average income Barack Obama Branko Milanovic Bureau of Economic calculation Cambridge capita income capitalist century China Chinese clubs communist decile Distribution of Income economic growth economists elite Empire equal Essay estimated Europe European Union GDP per capita Gini coefficient global income distribution global inequality global median class growth rates harraga higher household surveys huge income differences income distribution income divergence Income Inequality income levels increase India individuals investment Kuznets labor Latin America less Lindert live mean incomes measure of inequality migration million one’s Pareto Paris poor countries poorer poorest population poverty price level ratio Rawls redistribution relatively rich countries rich world richer richest Roman Russia share social society South Korea Soviet Union taxes third world tion today’s unequal United University Press utility Vignette Vignette 1.3 Vilfredo Pareto wages wealth welfare workers World Bank