Preface

PART I. THE NEW GEOGRAPHY HYPOTHESIS

1. Massive Global Income Inequality: When Did It Arise and Why Does It Matter?

The Growing World Income Pie

Other Welfare Changes

The Rise in Income Disparities over the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries

Why Nations?

Why Not Focus on Poverty Rather than on Inequality?



2. The Reversal of Historical Inequality Trends

Myths of the Trade Protest Model

Causes of the Reversal: An Overview

The Inequality Transition

PART II. MEASUREMENT

3. How Is National Income Measured, and Can We Trust the Data?

How Is National Income Measured?

Are Income Estimates Plausible?

Are the Historical Income Data Reliable Enough?

Are the Contemporary Income Data Reliable Enough?

Measuring Income over Time

Appendix A3: Adjusting for Household Economies in Poor

Author photo: Penn State University Publicity Office

Glenn Firebaugh is Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology, Pennsylvania State University.