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Government Interventions and Their Effects on Economic Inequality

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Submitted By carina95
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Government interventions and their effects on economic inequality

Maastricht University | | | | School of Business & Economics | | | | Place & date: | 18th November 2014 | | Name, initials: | Große Entrup, Carina | | ID number: | I6096321 | | Study: | International Business | | Course code: | ebc1009 | | Group number: | 46 | | Tutor name: | Emre Ergin | | Writing tutor name: | Kirsty Donald | | Writing assignment: | Main Paper (Task 10) | | number of words: | 1990 | |

carina.grosseentrup@maastrichtuniversity.nl

Table of Contents

1. Introduction 2. Government intervention 3. Government intervention to reduce income inequality 3.1 In-kind transfers 3.2 Minimum wage 3.2.1 Effects of minimum wage on labour market 3.3 Income tax
4. Conclusion

1. Introduction

Although income grew by almost three percent per year for all income classes in the period from 1950 to 1980, the ones that were mostly blessed with the highest income growth were the top earners (McDowell, 2012). Income can differ enormously between the different classes of a society and the range between the top earners and those at the bottom of the society becomes larger and larger. Income inequality is a wide discussed topic by all social classes. The well earning upper-class, people who have to struggle with a minimum living wage and the shrinking middle-class, which has to worry most about its future living situation, are affected by it (Mankiw, 2012). Economic inequality can, therefore, be described simply as a contrast between the economic conditions or situations of different individuals or of different classes of a society (Champernowne & Cowell, 1998).

The gap between rich and poor can have positive as well as negative effects on society, politics and the economy. Opinions about whether income

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