Crisis de Ucrania, inflación y subida de tipos agudizan la desigualdad en la UE

The recent surge in inflation and interest rates in Europe is exacerbating wealth inequality, particularly in France and Germany. As the returns on capital outpace both inflation and labor income, the richest percentiles of these populations are accumulating significant relative wealth. This dynamic is widening the gap between the rich and the poor, demonstrating that current economic policies favor financial assets over wage growth, thereby undermining efforts to build equitable societies. In contrast, Spain appears more resilient to this new trend of inequality, primarily due to its high rates of homeownership. While countries like Germany face deep structural divides where low-income groups largely lack property equity, Spanish households have historically benefited from asset accumulation through housing. Consequently, Spain’s recent rise in inequality stems more from the past crisis rather than current inflationary pressures, and measures like treasury bills and pension plans currently yield returns that help protect savings against the rising cost of living. This article is crucial for open data because it highlights the distinction between measuring inequality via income versus wealth. Official datasets often focus on income, but analyzing wealth distribution reveals a much starker reality. For researchers and policymakers, accessing detailed, granular data on asset ownership is essential to understand the true extent of economic disparity and to design effective social policies that address not just earnings, but the fundamental accumulation of resources.

Source: lavanguardia.com
Published on 2024-08-22

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