中文摘要
本文综述了近期关于全球财富不平等动态的文献。首先，我协调了美国财富不平等的现有估计。调查数据与税收数据均显示，自20世纪80年代以来，财富不平等急剧加剧：最富有的1%人群财富份额在2016年约为40%，而20世纪80年代为25%—30%。其次，我讨论了迅速增长的关于全球各地财富不平等的研究文献。证据表明全球财富集中度有所上升：就中国、欧洲和美国合计而言，最富有的1%人群财富份额已从1980年的28%上升到如今的33%，而底层75%人群的份额则一直徘徊在10%左右。然而，由于金融全球化使衡量顶层财富变得日益困难，近期研究可能低估了不平等的水平及其上升幅度。我讨论了如何利用新的数据来源——金融机构泄露数据、税收赦免记录以及避税天堂的宏观经济统计——来更好地衡量富人的财富。
Abstract
This article reviews the recent literature on the dynamics of global wealth inequality. I first reconcile available estimates of wealth inequality in the United States. Both surveys and tax data show that wealth inequality has increased dramatically since the 1980s, with a top 1% wealth share of approximately 40% in 2016 versus 25–30% in the 1980s. Second, I discuss the fast-growing literature on wealth inequality across the world. Evidence points toward a rise in global wealth concentration: For China, Europe, and the United States combined, the top 1% wealth share has increased from 28% in 1980 to 33% today, while the bottom 75% share hovered around 10%. Recent studies, however, may underestimate the level and rise of inequality, as financial globalization makes it increasingly hard to measure wealth at the top. I discuss how new data sources (leaks from financial institutions, tax amnesties, and macroeconomic statistics of tax havens) can be leveraged to better capture the wealth of the rich.