EQUALITY, WEALTH, AND POLITICAL STABILITY

The relation between economic equality and political stability present s an issue of great importance in view of recent increases in economic inequality in the United States and many other countries. This articl e presents theoretical reasons and empirical evidence derived from a l arge sample of the economic and political data of many different count ries in support of the proposition that average incomes in a society, rather than the equality or inequality of the income distribution, inc rease political stability.