Top Incomes over the Twentieth Century: A Contrast between European and English-Speaking Countries

Based on a pioneering research programme on the evolution of top incomes, this volume brings together studies from 10 OECD countries. This rapidly growing field of economic research investigates the top segment of the income distribution by using data from income tax records over the past century. As well as describing the source data and methods employed, the authors also discuss the dramatic changes that have occurred at the top of the income scale throughout the 20th century.

This fascinating study is the first of its kind to provide a comprehensive historic overview of top income distribution over the last century. It looks at why top incomes shares fell markedly in the first half of the 20th century and why, more recently, there has been a striking difference in the top income distribution between continental Europe and English-speaking OECD countries, like the UK, USA, and Australia. Written by Thomas Piketty, New York Times best-selling author of Capital in the Twenty-First Century, and noted member of the Conseil d'Analyse Economique, A. B. Atkinson, this seminal work provides rich pickings for those with an interest in inequality, development, the economic impact of war, taxation, economic history, and executive compensation.

Sir Tony Atkinson has been Warden of Nuffield College, Oxford, from 1994 to 2005. He was previously Tooke Professor at the London School of Economics, and founder Editor of the Journal of Public Economics. He has previously been President of the Econometric Society, of the European Economic Association, the Royal Economic Society, and the International Economic Association.

Thomas Piketty is the New York Times best-selling author of Capital in the Twenty-First Century (Harvard University Press) and a Professor of Economics at PSE and EHESS, Paris. He earned his PhD in 1993 at EHESS and LSE (European Doctoral Programme) and taught at MIT's Economics Department from 1993 to 1996, before returning to France. Thomas is also co-editor of the Journal of Public Economics and co-director of CEPR Public Policy Programme.