This is partly due to worries that a persistently unbalanced sharing of the growth dividend will result in social resentment, fuelling populist and protectionist sentiments, and leading to political instability. Recent discussions, particularly in the US, about increased inequality being one possible cause of the 2008 financial crisis also contributed to its relevance for policymaking." Is inequality a pre-requisite for growth? Or does a greater dispersion of incomes across individuals rather undermine growth?