Oxfam’s new report, ‘The Inequality Virus’, reveals that the wealth of the ten richest men has increased by half a trillion dollars since the pandemic began. This is more than enough to pay for a vaccine for all and prevent anyone on Earth from falling into poverty because of the virus. We have received lots of great questions about the report, here’s our …
Why taxing wealth more effectively can help to reduce inequality and poverty
Since 2014, Oxfam’s Even It Up campaign has been pressing governments to tackle economic inequality because it is hindering efforts to end poverty. Recent World Bank estimates show that according to current economic growth predictions – and if present levels of inequality remain unchanged – in 2030 about 6.5% of the global population will still be living in extreme poverty. …
Taxing wealth is key to fighting inequality
Conventional wisdom about taxing wealth is shifting, writes Didier Jacobs, Oxfam America’s Senior Policy Advisor. Long dismissed as unfeasible, and frowned upon as politically incorrect, radical ideas are now gaining ground. The new star on the left of the US Democratic Party, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, suggests increasing the top income tax rate to 70%. That sounds more radical than Bernie Sanders’ …
Feminist solutions to man-made economic inequality
Francesca Rhodes, Gender Policy Advisor, Man-Kwun Chan, Influencing Advisor, Women’s Economic Empowerment and Care, and Anam Parvez Butt, Gender Justice Research Lead at Oxfam GB outline some of the key ways public spending and taxation could reduce gender inequality. In the words of feminist activist, Paula Varela: ‘Women… have the majority of the precarious jobs, and we perform the overwhelming …
Davos is here again
Duncan Green summarises Oxfam’s new report.
Health, wealth and the great escape out of poverty
Could the history of the last 250 years provide the clues to ending poverty and inequality? Angus Deaton’s book The Great Escape makes a compelling case for improving global well-being by addressing health and wealth. Franziska Mager, Research Assistant, reviews the book as part of our new Book Banter series. Book Banter Are you looking for some inspiring reading? Short …
The politics of inequality; who is measuring what and why?
Our latest real geek instalment explores different measurements of inequality and how our understanding of the data they produce is crucial to the issue as a whole. here is no one ‘right’ way to measure anything. That’s what measurement is; one way to quantify out of many. There can of course be a wrong way and plenty of statisticians work …