{"id":10778,"date":"2017-11-07T02:03:45","date_gmt":"2017-11-07T01:03:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ibs.org.pl\/events\/unequal-wages-incomes-and-wealth-in-poland\/"},"modified":"2023-01-01T22:56:10","modified_gmt":"2023-01-01T21:56:10","slug":"unequal-wages-incomes-and-wealth-in-poland","status":"publish","type":"events","link":"https:\/\/ibs.org.pl\/en\/events\/unequal-wages-incomes-and-wealth-in-poland\/","title":{"rendered":"(Un)equal wages, incomes and wealth in Poland?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The results of the latest research on current and historical levels of economic inequality in Poland and the role of the state were presented in the first part of the meeting. Then we discussed possible instruments mitigating the level of inequality, e.g. minimum wage. See the summary of the seminar and the presentations below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is high inequality an issue in Poland?
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In the first presentation,\u00a0Micha\u0142 Brzezi\u0144ski<\/strong>\u00a0(University of Warsaw, Institute for Structural Research) argued that income inequality in Poland is high compared to wealthier European countries, but in comparison to countries in the region and others with similar levels of wealth, Poland ranks more favourably. The relatively high income inequality in Poland results from considerable wage differentials driven by a high education premium, a sizeable concentration of capital income, and a low degree of progressivity of income taxation. On the other hand, wealth inequality in Poland is relatively low, owing to the fact that income differences have not yet accumulated and intergenerational accumulation of wealth has been suspended to some extent during the period of socialism (see\u00a0IBS Policy Paper<\/a>).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Top Incomes during Wars, Communism and Capitalism: Poland 1892-2015<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Pawe\u0142 Bukowski<\/strong>\u00a0(Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics and Political Science) presented his joint study with Filip Novokmet on the history of top incomes in Poland (see the paper<\/a>). Using historical tax data the authors revealed that a period of fairly high inequality lasted between the years 1892-1915, when the income of the top 1% accounted for 10% to 20% of total income. Then, in the after-war period, the introduction of communism significantly reduced inequality by eliminating private capital income and compressing earnings. In the 1990\u2019s top income shares increased back to the level of 10-15% and remain such to this day. In the abstract to theirs paper, Bukowski and Novokmet also emphasised the importance of the source of income:\u00a0while the initial upward adjustment during the transition in the 1990s was induced both by the rise of top labour and capital incomes, the strong rise of top income shares in 2000s was driven solely by the increase in top capital incomes, which make the dominant income source at the top<\/em>. (see the presentation<\/a>) \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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