Based on the required readings of our course, Lecture Posts and discussions so far:
Write an essay discussing the evolution of income inequality in the world, covering issues that have led to increases and decreases in inequality within and between countries in at least the last 200 years (approximately since the Industrial Revolution).
In your answer make sure to discuss the following issues (but not only these)
o What is global inequality
o What is the Kuznets curve and the mechanisms behind it exactly how it works (Simon Kuznets)
o What are Kuznets waves (Branko Milanovic)
o Give at least two examples of factors that makes inequality decrease
Make sure to explain why these factors have made inequality go down
Make sure to specify when in history this happened and give examples of countries where this happened.
o Give at least two examples of factors that makes inequality go up
Make sure to explain why these factors have made inequality go up
Make sure to specify when in history this happened and give examples of countries where this happened.
o Has global inequality been going up or down in recent years? Discuss at least one explanation for this.
In case I detect plagiarism in your test, for every sentence plagiarized you will lose 10% of the final grade. I will use safe-assign therefore plagiarism will be very easily flagged even when between peers.
Before handing in your essay, go through the grading criteria and make sure you fulfilled all the requirements.
Grading Criteria and Grade Breakdown:
In the essay the student clearly defined and discussed
1) What is global inequality (1)
2) What is the Kuznets curve and the mechanisms behind it exactly how it works (1)
3) What are Kuznets waves (1)
4) Give at least two examples of factors that makes inequality decrease (1)
o 4.a) Made sure to explain why these factors have made inequality go down (2)
o 4.b)) Made sure to specify when in history this happened and give examples of countries where this happened. (2)
5) Give at least two examples of factors that makes inequality go up (1)
5.a) Made sure to explain why these factors have made inequality go up (2)
5.b) Made sure to specify when in history this happened and give examples of countries where this happened. (2)
6) Has global inequality being go up or down in recent years? Discuss at least one explanation for this. (3)
7) The student discusses at least one other relevant issue in Global Inequality research (1)
8) The essay is clear and demonstrates a good overall knowledge of the topic
o 1. Interesting and clear Introduction (1)
o 2. Good Development (1)
o 3. Clear conclusion (1)
Extra Points Question (Worth 5 points)
The current COVID-19 pandemic has raised issues of the long run consequences for populations around the world, particularly in what relates to poverty and inequality. Given what you know about the effects that previous pandemics had on inequality throughout the history of the world, what can we expect will be the effects of this pandemic on inequality? Be sure to explain the mechanisms that led previous pandemics to affect inequality in the past the way it did and how the present pandemic might (or might not) be different.
