Inequality: causes, consequences, policies. 

Whether measured by increases in the Gini coefficient (.394 in 1970 to .482 in 2013), income and wealth distribution, or health and other quality of life measures, inequality has been on the rise in America since about 1970.  

Write an essay that seeks to make sense of the readings we’ve done on inequality and points toward the most viable policies to reverse the trend or mitigate its effects. Assume that this is a problem that needs to be addressed, which seems to be a consensus agreed on more or less by both major political parties. I don’t expect you to be able to discuss everything that we’ve read in this unit, but I’m looking for you to synthesize the readings and identify a thread or threads that run through them to make sense of inequality and how it might be addressed. Here are some possible approaches that might lead to an enlightening synthesis:  

1. Does mistake theory or conflict theory offer a better explanation of rising inequality and how to address it? 

2. Consider the role of inevitable impersonal forces and policy choices in causing the rise in inequality and what can be done about it.  

3. Most of the readings focused on the structural causes of rising inequality, but what about Murray’s argument about the cultural roots?  Reconsider Murray’s arguments in the light of what you’ve read since.  If you accept the structural argument, does culture play any role rising inequality? Does it help us determine whether predistribution or redistribution make more sense in addressing the problem?

4. Come up with your own throughline to shed light on rising inequality and how to address it.

Please: Number your pages.  Include a word count in the heading.  Cite the source of all of your facts and quotes, which should ONLY come from the assigned readings.  Concision is a virtue, but so is evidence.  Aim for 800 to 1000 words. Familiarized yourself with my Paper-Writing Guide--comments on papers are often keyed to it with the letters PWG. Cite like this: Author of document and/or title, 550 Docs, page #.