The Redistribution of Income and Wealth Theory is the idea that government policies can be used to reduce economic inequality by redistributing income and wealth from those who possess more of it to those with less. The theory postulates that if the government takes from the wealthy – either through taxation or other means, such as social welfare programs – and distributes it among lower-income individuals, then overall economic inequality will decrease.
Within the Discussion Board area, write 400–600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas. Research and examine the Redistribution of Income and Wealth Theory. Discuss the following questions: Is the theory clear and unambiguous? What clarity would you include to increase understanding? Does the research on the theory support or fail to support the expectations? Explain your opinion.
The theory itself is clear in its intent; however, there are some ambiguities surrounding exactly how this redistribution should be accomplished. In order to increase understanding of the Redistribution of Income and Wealth Theory, it would help to have details on which specific policies could best be used to achieve it – e.g., progressive tax schemes, increasing social welfare payments etc., as well as a list of objectives for each policy (what does each one hope to achieve).
Research into the effectiveness of redistributive policies has been mixed at best. Some studies suggest that certain types of redistribution may indeed reduce inequality in some respects (e.g., reducing poverty rates), while others find no significant effect on overall levels of income and wealth disparities between different socioeconomic groups. Ultimately, whether Redistribution of Income and Wealth Theory succeeds or fails depends largely on how well implemented each individual policy is – if a country chooses ineffective strategies for redistribution or implements them inadequately, then they may actually end up making economic inequality worse rather than bette