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This paper is a response to Firebaugh, G. and B. Goesling (2004). "Accounting for the Recent Decline in Global Income Inequality." American Journal of Sociology Volume 110(Number 2 (September 2004)): 283–312. It was written for the UC Atlas of Global Inequality (a CGIRS project) to be found at ucatlas.ucsc.edu.

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ABSTRACT:
The September 2004 issue of the American Journal of Sociology contains an article by Firebaugh and Goesling arguing that global income inequality has declined in recent decades as a result of economic globalization. This paper examines the methodological choices made by the authors, and some alternative estimates they overlooked. It concludes that there are many reasons to be cautious about accepting the claim that global income inequality is falling. At the least we have to (a) acknowledge evidence to the contrary, (b) explain why the counter evidence is not to be counted, and (c) acknowledge that even by the measures and data sources that show falling overall inequality, the result depends mostly on China.

SUGGESTED CITATION:
Robert H. Wade, "Inequality and Globalization: A Comment on Firebaugh and Goesling" (November 12, 2004). Center for Global, International and Regional Studies. Paper CGIRS-2004-10.
http://repositories.cdlib.org/cgirs/CGIRS-2004-10