Inequalities in the twenty-first century
We need to step back and ask: how are different kinds of inequality related and which matter most? What are the underlying forces that come together to create them? And crucially, what is the right mix of policies to tackle inequalities?
The IFS Deaton Review aims to rise to that challenge. In the most ambitious study of its kind, it will engage world-leading experts in sociology, demography, epidemiology, political science, philosophy and economics to build a comprehensive understanding of inequalities in the twenty-first century. It aims to understand inequalities in living standards, health, political participation and opportunity, not just between the rich and poor but by gender, ethnicity, geography and education too. The review will explore what it is that concerns people about inequality, which aspects of it are perceived to be fair and unfair, and how these concerns relate to actual levels of inequality and the processes by which they are created. It will examine the big forces that drive inequalities, from technological change, globalisation, labour markets and corporate behaviour, to family structures and education systems.
This report is intended to serve as an introduction to just a few of the issues that will be addressed as part of this project, to give a taste of what is to come. The aim is not to present answers, but to illustrate the breadth of the review and the importance of the types of questions it will address.
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