Synopses & Reviews
The surprising finding of this book is that, contrary to conventional wisdom, global income inequality is decreasing. Critics of globalization and others maintain that the spread of consumer capitalism is dramatically polarizing the worldwide distribution of income. But as the demographer Glenn Firebaugh carefully shows, income inequality for the world peaked in the late twentieth century and is now heading downward because of declining income inequality across nations. Furthermore, as income inequality declines across nations, it is rising within nations (though not as rapidly as it is declining across nations). Firebaugh claims that this historic transition represents a new geography of global income inequality in the twenty-first century.
This book documents the new geography, describes its causes, and explains why other analysts have missed one of the defining features of our era--a transition in inequality that is reducing the importance of where a person is born in determining his or her future well-being.
Review
Firebaugh punctuates the widely held myth that the world's income inequality is increasing, convincingly contending that because of the decline of between-nation inequality, global inequality is falling....While Robert Barro, Branko Milanovic, Francois Bourguignon, Christian Morrison, and Firebaugh himself have presented some of these findings in articles, no scholar matches Firebaugh in bringing these major findings together in a monograph that is clearly written, well-organized, and methodologically sound. E. W. Nafziger
Review
If you want to understand how global income equality has evolved in recent decades and why, look no further. Glenn Firebaugh has provided the most complete, thoughtful, and intriguing study on the subject, The New Geography of Global Income Inequality...Firebaugh's argument is articulate, forceful, and well presented. All who are concerned with issues of income inequality, scholars and laypersons alike, will find much to learn from this book, as will students seeking to master the art of conducting empirical social science. For these reasons, I highly recommend Firebaugh's latest contribution. Leslie McCall - Contemporary Sociology
Review
Glenn Firebaugh has produced a book of remarkable clarity and depth on a subject of enormous complexity and importance. His findings are groundbreaking and backed up by concurrent research in economics: The recent era of globalization has witnessed less rather than more income inequality between nations. Yu Xie - American Journal of Sociology
Review
This work is likely to become a classic in the study of inequality. It is particularly important because in assuring the reader that the research is grounded in sound methodological scholarship, Firebaugh does not lose sight of the importance of the questions he is addressing. His book is a powerful stimulus for further research in this and related fields; future research will have to address Firebaugh's argument before making any additional claims about the state of world income inequality. Lisa Keister, author of < i=""> Wealth in America <>
Synopsis
Critics of globalization and others maintain that the spread of consumer capitalism is dramatically polarizing the worldwide distribution of income. But as the demographer Glenn Firebaugh carefully shows, income inequality for the world peaked in the late twentieth century and is now heading downward because of declining income inequality across nations. Furthermore, as income inequality declines across nations, it is rising within nations (though not as rapidly as it is declining across nations).
About the Author
Glenn Firebaugh is Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology, Pennsylvania State University.
Penn State University
Table of Contents
Preface
PART I. THE NEW GEOGRAPHY HYPOTHESIS
1. Massive Global Income Inequality: When Did It Arise and Why Does It Matter?
The Growing World Income Pie
Other Welfare Changes
The Rise in Income Disparities over the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries
Why Nations?
Why Not Focus on Poverty Rather than on Inequality?
2. The Reversal of Historical Inequality Trends
Myths of the Trade Protest Model
Causes of the Reversal: An Overview
The Inequality Transition
PART II. MEASUREMENT
3. How Is National Income Measured, and Can We Trust the Data?
How Is National Income Measured?
Are Income Estimates Plausible?
Are the Historical Income Data Reliable Enough?
Are the Contemporary Income Data Reliable Enough?
Measuring Income over Time
Appendix A3: Adjusting for Household Economies in Poor