Inequality Reexamined: Amartya Sen's Groundbreaking Work on Economic Inequality

Economic inequality has been a persistent issue throughout human history, and it remains a major concern in the 21st century. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of understanding the causes and consequences of inequality, and of developing policies to address it.

Inequality Reexamined

by Amartya Sen

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Language	:	English
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Amartya Sen is one of the world's leading economists, and his work on inequality has been instrumental in shaping our understanding of this complex issue. Sen's approach to inequality is based on the idea of capabilities, which he defines as the set of things that a person is able to do or be. According to Sen, inequality is not simply a matter of income or wealth, but also a matter of people's ability to live a life that they value.

Sen's Capabilities Approach

Sen's capabilities approach is a comprehensive framework for thinking about inequality. It focuses on the individual, and it takes into account a wide range of factors that can affect a person's well-being, including income, health, education, and political freedom. Sen argues that inequality is not just about the distribution of resources, but also about the distribution of opportunities.

The capabilities approach has been influential in the field of development economics, and it has been used to develop a variety of policies and programs to address poverty and inequality. For example, the United Nations Development Program's Human Development Index is based on Sen's capabilities approach.

Sen's Contributions to Inequality Research

Sen has made a number of important contributions to the study of inequality. First, he has helped to shift the focus of inequality research from a narrow focus on income and wealth to a broader focus on capabilities. Second, he has developed a number of new theoretical tools for analyzing inequality, including the concept of the "entitlement set" and the "exchange entitlement function." Third, he has conducted a number of empirical studies on inequality, which have helped to shed light on the causes and consequences of this complex issue.

Sen's work on inequality has had a profound impact on the field of economics. He has helped to raise awareness of the importance of inequality, and he has developed a number of new tools for analyzing it. His work has also helped to shape the design of policies and programs to address inequality.

Amartya Sen is one of the world's leading economists, and his work on inequality has been instrumental in shaping our understanding of this complex issue. Sen's capabilities approach provides a comprehensive framework for thinking about inequality, and it has been influential in the field of development economics. Sen's work has also helped to raise awareness of the importance of inequality, and it has helped to shape the design of policies and programs to address it.

References

• Sen, A. (1985). Commodities and Capabilities. Amsterdam: North-Holland.
• Sen, A. (1992). Inequality Reexamined. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
• Sen, A. (2009). The Idea of Justice. London: Allen Lane.