In this paper the authors investigate the changing characteristics of working age women, focusing on their financial independence. They combine an examination of policy and institutional changes that occurred in Australia during the 1980s and 1990s with an analysis of income survey microdata for the years 1982 and 1996-97. They argue that demographic changes (relating...

This study is a summary and commentary on what is known about the determinants of both the level and trend in economic inequality over the past two decades, and relates these findings to the progress of globalization in these nations. While the fruits of economic progress in rich nations have not been equally spread, the...

What is the distribution of real income within as well as across countries? The purpose of this paper is to try to answer this question by presenting estimates of the real purchasing power (PPP) parity-adjusted distribution of disposable income for a number of countries.

When we compare the well-being of American, Canadian or European kids, can we really say that the United States has not left any of its children behind? What can we say about equality of opportunity or fair life chances for America's children compared to their counterparts in other rich countries? This paper summarizes the poverty...

High and persistent unemployment has presented a major challenge for the welfare state from two directions. First, it has eroded the funding base and second, it has increased the demands on welfare programs because of the consequences for poverty and inequality resulting from high unemployment. This paper explores these latter effects using a range of...