Title: How Inequality Undermines Democracy
Headings: How Inequality Undermines Democracy
How Inequality Undermines Democracy
Rising Inequality
Table 1 General Trends in Family Income Inequality
The Threat to Democracy
Impact of Inequality on Civic Participation
Conclusion
Notes and References
Further Reading on E-International Relations
About The Author (s)

Content: And those who went to school to train for specific occupations that pay well will earn more than those who did not. In short, skilled workers will earn more than non-skilled workers. Consequently, in an increasingly global economy where there will be two classes — skilled and educated workers at the top earning high wages and unskilled and poorly educated workers at the bottom earning low wages — there is bound to be inequality. Moreover, as these trends continue, the gap between the top and the bottom is only bound to grow. On another level, however, income inequality is a seminal issue because of what it really speaks to: the disappearance of the middle class. Inequality per se may not be the problem; rather it is the rate of increase in inequality. In this essay, I argue that to the extent that inequality effectively speaks to a shrinking middle class it represents a threat to democracy. Rising Inequality
Income inequality is an amorphous concept.