The Economics of
INEQUALITY,
DISCRIMINATION,
POVERTY, AND MOBILITY
If there was any question before, there is no longer a question today:
inequality, discrimination, poverty, and mobility are prominent national
issues. The notion of “The American Dream” has been sold to genera-
tions of young Americans as the idea that working hard and following
your dreams will allow you to break through any barriers in your path
and inevitably lead to success. However, recent fndings on inequality,
discrimination, poverty, and mobility show that “The American Reality”
is very different.
The second edition of this introductory-level text brings together the
essential materials on what economists have to say about these fndings
and brings students up to date with current thinking. It covers several
ground-shattering events, such as: the election of Barack Obama followed
by Donald Trump; the passage of the Affordable Care Act and attempts
to repeal it; and the publication of Thomas Piketty’s
Capital in the 21st
Century
, among many others. With an emphasis on data, theory, and
policy, this book tackles these issues by exploring three key questions in
each chapter: What do the data tell us about what has been happening to
the American economy What are the economic theories needed to under-
stand what has been happening What are the policy ideas and controver-
sies associated with these economic problems
Key controversies are highlighted in each chapter to drive classroom
discussion, and end-of-chapter questions develop student understanding.
This clearly written text is ideally suited to a wide variety of courses on
contemporary economic conditions, inequality, and social economics in
the United States.
Robert S. Rycroft is Professor of Economics at the University of Mary
Washington, USA, and is currently completing his fortieth year on the
faculty. He teaches courses in Poverty, Affuence, and Equality, Labor
Economics, Public Finance, and Microeconomics.
The Economics
of INEQUALITY,
DISCRIMINATION,
POVERTY,
AND MOBILITY
Second Edition
Robert S. Rycroft。