Political (In)Equality

• In Event: New Directions in Comparative Political Inequality Research

Abstract

This paper offers a new conceptualization of political inequality and its connection to the level and evolution of economic inequality. After establishing our definition of political equality and discussing the conditions under which it can be considered an intrinsic good, we address two questions: how it is shaped by economic inequality and what mechanisms govern the dynamic relationship between the two. Empirically, we propose a battery of measures of the various dimension of inequality in the distribution of political influence and evaluate the extent to which they are consequential for the working of democracy. We conclude with a critical discussion of various potential interventions to reduce current levels of political inequality.

Authors

• Pablo Beramendi, Duke University

• Timothy Besley, London School of Economics

• Margaret Levi, Stanford University