In the media
UNU-WIDER's expertise on inequality highlighted in a Finnish development magazine

The different aspects of inequality are discussed in the 4/2019 issue of the Finnish magazine Kehitys (Development).

In the article UNU-WIDER Non-Resident Senior Researcher Jukka Pirttilä comments on the different ways to measure the state of the global inequality. The article discusses the UNU-WIDER Working paper written by Martin Ravallion 'What might explain today’s conflicting narratives on global inequality?', and introduces a graph showing the different conclusions when measuring inequality in relative and absolute terms. The graph was originally published in  the article 'Global Inequality: Relatively Lower, Absolutely Higher', written by UNU-WIDER researchers.

In the Kehitys magazine article, Pirttilä explains the differences between measuring absolute and relative inequality. He continues to remind that not only inequalities between countries but within countries matter, as inequalities within countries might lead to, for example, wealthy people having more say in political decisions. He comments also on the questions regarding the differences between income and wealth: 'Without income people would not survive, but without wealth it is possible to stay alive'.

Regarding technological advances Pirttilä reminds that the ownership of robots is a factor that makes a big difference on inequality. He also warns of the risk of making too many generalizations, as inequality is comprised of multiple factors, not only economic ones.

The article concludes with Pirttilä commenting on domestic revenue mobilization in developing countries, and explains that it is important to develop taxation systems in these countries but it is even more important to make sure the revenue collected is used widely. 'People need to be in sufficiently good health and they need to have sufficient educational prospects, regardless of the economic background they come from', Pirttilä concludes.

Read the full article online (in Finnish)

Kehitys 4/2019: Eriarvoisuus kasvaa ja vähenee – mistä on kyse?