Egalitarianism and the generation of inequality /

Building upon his earlier work, The Inequality of Pay (1977),(emeritus, London School of Economics) offers an impressive, comprehensive treatment of the philosophical, political, and economic aspects of economic inequality. Despite the volume's formidable length, the author's mastery of the material should ensure its inclusion on most undergraduate and graduate reading lists for courses concerned with income distribution. The first half of the book traces the rise of egalitarianism in the Western tradition from the Greeks to the present day, dwelling heavily upon the intellectual and political developments associated with 18th-century liberalism. The second half analyzes the nature of income and wealth distributions. This portion is notable not because it breaks new ground but because it offers an accessible review of recent efforts to assemble, display, and interpret distributional information. Throughout, it is the British experience that receives the most scrutiny. However, sufficient coverage of the US and other developed countries is provided to hold the interest of non-British readers. In the final pages Brown presents an assessment of egalitarianism: inequality is a necessary outcome of freedom. Reducing inequality is best accomplished through appeal to society's sense of common humanity rather than its sense of justice. Highly recommended for all academic collections. -R. S. Hewett, Drake University