![]() To be clear, when I say that high levels of inequality are a problem, I don’t want to imply that the world is getting worse. Governments can play a constructive role in offsetting the snowballing tendencies if and when they choose to do so.Capitalism does not self-correct toward greater equality-that is, excess wealth concentration can have a snowball effect if left unchecked.High levels of inequality are a problem-messing up economic incentives, tilting democracies in favor of powerful interests, and undercutting the ideal that all people are created equal.I also said I have concerns about some elements of his analysis, which I’ll share below. As I told him, I agree with his most important conclusions, and I hope his work will draw more smart people into the study of wealth and income inequality-because the more we understand about the causes and cures, the better. Piketty was nice enough to talk with me about his work on a Skype call last month. I encourage you to read it too, or at least a good summary, like this one from The Economist. But this past July, I felt compelled to read Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-First Century after reading several reviews and hearing about it from friends. ![]() A 700-page treatise on economics translated from French is not exactly a light summer read-even for someone with an admittedly high geek quotient.
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