Thomas Piketty—whose Capital in the Twenty-First Century pushed inequality to the forefront of public debate—wrote The Economics of Inequality as an introduction to the conceptual and factual background necessary for interpreting changes in economic inequality over time. This concise text has established itself as an indispensable guide for students and general readers in France, where it has been regularly updated and revised. Translated by Arthur Goldhammer, The Economics of Inequality now appears in English for the first time.

Piketty begins by explaining how inequality evolves and how economists measure it. In subsequent chapters, he explores variances in income and ownership of capital and the variety of policies used to reduce these gaps. Along the way, with characteristic clarity and precision, he introduces key ideas about the relationship between labor and capital, the effects of different systems of taxation, the distinction between “historical” and “political” time, the impact of education and technological change, the nature of capital markets, the role of unions, and apparent tensions between the pursuit of efficiency and the pursuit of fairness.

Succinct, accessible, and authoritative, this is the ideal place to start for those who want to understand the fundamental issues at the heart of one the most pressing concerns in contemporary economics and politics.

托马斯•皮凯蒂（Thomas Piketty）

法国著名经济学家，巴黎经济学院教授，法国社会科学高等研究院研究主任，主要研究财富与收入不平等。

1971年生于法国上塞纳省，18岁进入巴黎高等师范学院，学习数学和经济学。22岁以一篇关于财富重新分配的论文，获得博士学位。

1993—1995年，在麻省理工学院经济学院任副教授。

1995年，加入法国国家科学研究中心，担任研究员。

2000年，在法国社会科学高等研究院担任研究主任。

2002年，荣获法国最佳青年经济学家。

2006年，联合创立了巴黎经济学院，并担任第一任院长。后在法国总统竞选中，担任社会党候选人塞格琳•罗雅尔（Ségolène Royal）的经济学顾问。

2007年至今，在巴黎经济学院执教。

2013年，荣获两年一次的Yrj• Jahnsson奖，该奖项颁发给45岁以下、对经济学研究做出突出贡献的欧洲经济学家。