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In recent years the degree of income and wealth inequality within developed countries has been raised as a central issue in economic and social policy debates. Numerous figures across diverse ideological affinities have advocated policy measures to significantly alter income and wealth distributions, while the inequality debate has become infused with other subjects such as social justice and identity politics.
This book presents an account of economic inequality from a contemporary classical liberal perspective. Inequality is seen as a by-product of entangled relationships within society, bringing to the fore key ideas from complexity, evolutionary and network sciences.
Novak illustrates that inequality is problematic insofar as it generates pro-rich redistribution and constrains progress by the less well off. Economic inequality has important links with issues such as fiscal and regulatory policies, discrimination and social exclusion, and institutional design.
This unique book is important reading for social science academics, policy makers and people interested in exploring the dimensions and solutions to inequality, a critical issue of our time.
Endorsements for “Inequality: An Entangled Political Economy Perspective:”
“Inequality is a vexing topic of singular significance in our time. It has bred a climate of hostile political discourse reminiscent of the Cold War. In this lucid book, Mikayla Novak explains how we can transcend that hostility by recognizing the deeply entangled character of politics and economics within modern societies. With this proposed change in vision, Novak explains how more civil times can lie ahead.” (Richard Wagner, Hobart R. Harris Professor of Economics, George Mason University, USA)
“Mikayla Novak’s Inequality: An Entangled Political Economy Perspective is a thoroughly researched and well written exploration of one of the most divisive topics in modern democratic discourse. Novak brings careful and clear thinking to a topic too often clouded in emotion and guided by moral intuition. Using economic reasoning and evidence, Novak builds to a brilliant discussion of how a world of dignified equals can operate with the economic, personal and political freedom necessary to simultaneously achieve generalized prosperity through productive specialization and peaceful social cooperation among diverse peoples. Highly recommended, just a brilliant book that comes at precisely the right time.” (Peter Boettke, Professor of Economics and Philosophy, George Mason University, USA)
“Mikayla Novak has taken on perhaps the most widely avoided problem in classical liberal economic thought, and the domain most effortlessly occupied by simplistic and earnest political-economy thinking, namely inequality. Novak shows how the nature and causes of inequality can be better understood though the lens of entangled political economy. This book is a bold new intellectual foundation for social policy analysis.” (Jason Potts, Professor of Economics, RMIT University, Australia)
