INCOME-REDISTRIBUTION - AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Many view global income inequality as a problem. Income redistribution from the rich countries to poor countries is often offered as a solut ion. However, such redistribution would have to be politically accepta ble to voters in rich countries to occur. Using a constructed distribu tion of world income we show that even modest income redistribution ef forts would impose significant costs on taxpayer-voters in rich countr ies. We conclude such income redistribution is unlikely.