Divided We Stand: Tackling Growing Inequality Now

Kent Hughes, Director of the Program on America and the Global Economy, will be moderating a discussion on inequality.  The details are below.

Divided We Stand:

Tackling growing inequality now

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

9:30am Registration ~ 10:00am-12:00pm Presentation & Discussion

AFL-CIO, Gompers Room ~ 815 16th Street NW ~ Washington, DC 20006

Register online here.  

Presentation: John Martin, Director for Employment, Labor and Social Affairs, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

Discussants: Richard Trumka, Chairman, Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC); Charles Heeter, Chairman, Business Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC)

Moderator: Kent Hughes, Director, Program on America and the Global Economy, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Rising income inequality creates economic, social and political challenges around the globe. It can jeopardize social mobility, as seen in countries where inequality is high and intergenerational earnings mobility is low. The resulting inequality of opportunity will impact economic performance as a whole, including the likely fueling of protectionist sentiments and decreasing support for open trade and free markets.

A new OECD report shows that growing inequalities are not “inevitable.” Globalization and technological changes offer opportunities but also raise challenges that can be tackled with effective and well-targeted policies. Any policy strategy to reduce the growing divide between rich and poor should rest on three main pillars: more intensive human capital investment; inclusive employment promotion; and well-designed tax/transfer redistribution policies.

This gathering will tackle the global questions of: What is the impact of high levels of inequality on policymaking? What can be done to reduce inequality? What is driving the increase in income inequality and, more importantly, how to buck this trend?

 Posted by: PAGE Staff