A short history of global inequality: The past two centuries

B-Tier
Journal: Explorations in Economic History
Year: 2011
Volume: 48
Issue: 4
Pages: 494-506

Score contribution per author:

2.011 = (α=2.01 / 1 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Using social tables, we make an estimate of global inequality (inequality among world citizens) in early 19th century. We then show that the level and composition of global inequality have changed over the last two centuries. The level has increased reaching a high plateau around 1950s, and the main determinants of global inequality have become differences in mean country incomes rather than inequalities within nations. The inequality extraction ratio (the percentage of total inequality that was extracted by global elites) has remained surprisingly stable, at around 70% of the maximum global Gini, during the last 100years.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:exehis:v:48:y:2011:i:4:p:494-506
Journal Field
Economic History
Author Count
1
Added to Database
2026-01-26