Book Review: The Inequality Crisis by Roger Brown

Inequality is not only a problem for developing countries. Roger Brown, former Vice-Chancellor of Southampton Solent University and professor at various universities, explains in his latest book The Inequality Crisis, published by Policy Press, how economic inequality in Britain and other Western countries has reached this level.

The gap regards food, education and health, among other fields. According to reports by Lloyds Bank and the Social Market Foundation, recounts the professor, in Great Britain 10% of adults own half of the country’s wealth, while 15% own nothing or have negative wealth. The same problem applies to the USA.

Brown adds that the increase in inequality has led to a huge range of costs and detriments, which are not only social. Brown therefore tackles the causes of inequality – structural or political – and the ways of tackling it, among which taxes and transfers or policy reforms.

As for Britain, one of the measures that Brown suggests is adjusting the balance between direct and indirect taxation increasing the former versus the latter. Some form of wealth tax, too, should be considered.

Inequality is not only a problem for developing countries. Roger Brown, former Vice-Chancellor of Southampton Solent University and professor at various universities, explains in his latest book The Inequality Crisis, published by Policy Press, how economic inequality in Britain and other Western countries has reached this level.

The gap regards food, education and health, among other fields. According to reports by Lloyds Bank and the Social Market Foundation, recounts the professor, in Great Britain 10% of adults own half of the country’s wealth, while 15% own nothing or have negative wealth. The same problem applies to the USA.

Brown adds that the increase in inequality has led to a huge range of costs and detriments, which are not only social. Brown therefore tackles the causes of inequality – structural or political – and the ways of tackling it, among which taxes and transfers or policy reforms.

As for Britain, one of the measures that Brown suggests is adjusting the balance between direct and indirect taxation increasing the former versus the latter. Some form of wealth tax, too, should be considered.