Should-Read: Peter Lindert: The rise and future of progre...

Should-Read: Peter Lindert: The rise and future of progressive redistribution: "There has been a blossoming of research into fiscal incidence by income class...

...This column combines century-long histories for Britain and South American countries with previous research to offer a global history of government income redistribution. Contrary to some allegations, the shift towards progressivity in government budgets over the last 100 years has not been reversed since the 1970s. The rise in inequality since the 1970s therefore appears to owe nothing to a net shift government redistribution toward the rich...