Explaining Wealth Inequality

Atkinson examines where wealth inequality comes from and asks how societies might change course before unequal distribution leads to social breakdown. Using historical cases, the book builds both a theoretical and a practical account of ownership and property, looking at the principles behind those ideas and how they have shaped communities over time.

A central claim is that wealth inequality is made inevitable by possessive behaviour, and that this behaviour shows up in possessive language. The author's research draws on taxation and household data. Although the book holds that inequality cannot be escaped, it argues that policies can distribute resources more efficiently and widely for public benefit. It proposes a research perspective that looks at how cooperative and collaborative initiatives, which strengthen the public sphere without undermining the private one, ease the concentration of wealth. The policies it considers favour voluntary wealth transfer over compulsory transfer as a route to the public good.

The book is aimed at academics and students of economics, including growth and development economics, as well as law, sociology, history, business and international trade. It also serves as a practical resource for government policy analysts who want a more detailed understanding of how wealth inequality contributes to a range of social problems.