One of the enduring conclusions of political economy is that the government's share of the economy tends to grow over time and with a rising gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. Yet, from the late 1980s through to 2008, government spending as a percentage of GDP declined in the typical year...

Beyond individualism -- Rethinking the measurement of poverty -- Mythical and real patterns in poverty -- The welfare state and poverty -- The politics of poverty -- The poverty of liberal economics -- Structural theory and poverty -- Politicizing poverty

This chapter argues income and wealth are two paramount gradational measures of social stratification. The chapter makes this case while reviewing recent social science on income and wealth. First, I begin by explaining how income and wealth are essential for purchasing well-being. Second, I...

This review explains how and why the U.S. has systemically high poverty. Descriptive evidence shows U.S. poverty is: (a) a huge share of the population; (b) a perennial outlier among rich democracies; (c) staggeringly high for certain groups; (d) surprisingly high for those who "play by the...