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Issues in Contemporary Economics pp 3–21Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Presidential Address: The Nature of Inequality

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Part of the book series: International Economic Association Series ((IEA))

Abstract

What is economic inequality? At one level, economic inequality is a very obvious thing. It is a state of the world in which some people are poor, perhaps thoroughly deprived, while others lead affluent lives -even roll in luxury. Caviar for some, and starvation for others. But the contrasts are often far more subtle and much harder to identify.

For helpful comments and suggestions, I am most grateful to Kenneth Arrow, Tony Atkinson, James Foster, James Mirrlees, Derek Parfit, Douglas Rae and Bernard Williams.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Harvard University, USA

    Amartya Sen

Authors
  1. Amartya Sen
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Kenneth J. Arrow

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© 1991 International Economic Association

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Sen, A. (1991). Presidential Address: The Nature of Inequality. In: Arrow, K.J. (eds) Issues in Contemporary Economics. International Economic Association Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-11573-0_1

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