Inequality and the Common Good

The Program on Inequality and the Common Good focuses on the dangers that growing inequality pose for U.S. democracy, economic health and civic life.

The program runs the following projects: Inequality.org, Too Much, Resilience Circles, Class Action, The Other98%, Wealth for the Common Good, Jamaica Plain Forum, and the Jamaica Plain New Economy Transition.

Buy This Book
- Published January 15, 2005
- ISBN 978-0807047194
Wealth and Our Commonwealth: Why America Should Tax Accumulated Fortunes
By Chuck Collins and Bill Gates Sr.

More than a thousand individuals of high net worth rose up to protest the repeal of the estate tax-Newsweek tagged them the "billionaire backlash." The primary visionaries of that group, Bill Gates Sr. and Chuck Collins, argue here that individual wealth is a product not only of hard work and smart choices but of the society that provides the fertile soil for succes. Weaving personal narratives, history, and plenty of solid economic sense, Gates and Collins make a sound and compelling case for estate tax reform, not repeal.

"Bill Gates and Chuck Collins provide a clear rationale for retaining the estate tax in this helpful and unselfish analysis." -Jimmy Carter, winner of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize

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January 1, 2013

USA Today features article “The fiscal cliff ... of '32”
Visit the publisher's website • See the article
December 13, 2012

Unionosity features article “In Fact, Fairly Taxing the Rich Won't Scare Them Away”
Visit the publisher's website • See the article
December 12, 2012

The Albany Tribune features article “In Fact, Fairly Taxing the Rich Won't Scare Them Away”
Visit the publisher's website • See the article
December 7, 2012

The (Prestonsburg, KY) Floyd County Times features article “For Pete's Sake, What's Happened to Our Democracy?”
Visit the publisher's website • See the article
December 7, 2012

Counterpunch features article “For Pete's Sake, What's Happened to Our Democracy?”
Visit the publisher's website • See the article
December 3, 2012

Nation of Change features article “To Move Forward, We Must Learn from Our Progressive Past”
Visit the publisher's website • See the article
November 30, 2012

The (Russellville, KY) News-Democrat & Leader features article “To Move Forward, We Must Learn from Our Progressive Past”
Visit the publisher's website • See the article
November 14, 2012

National Catholic Reporter features report “Executive Excess 2012: The CEO Hands in Uncle Sam's Pocket”
Visit the publisher's website • See the report
The Institute for Policy Studies’ “Executive Excess 2012” reports that in 2010 and 2011 a quarter of America’s 100 highest-paid CEOs took home more in pay than their corporations paid the U.S. in taxes. Two of those firms were Citigroup and AIG, both bailed out by taxpayers. In total, these 25 corporations have 533 subsidiaries in tax havens such as the Cayman Islands, Bermuda and Gibraltar.

The CEOs’ hands in Uncle Sam’s pocket -- to use the institute’s neat phrase -- mean that “the four most direct tax subsidies for excessive executive pay cost taxpayers $14.4 billion per year -- $46 for every man, woman and child,” who, in effect, buy a CEO lunch, with a glass of wine, once a year.
November 13, 2012

The Sidney (MT) Herald features report “Inequality Report Card: Grading Congress on Inequality”
Visit the publisher's website • See the report
We awarded “A+” grades to the 12 House members who did the most to narrow America’s economic divide over the past two years. Eleven of these lawmakers won.

Three of the five senators who nailed top marks for their legislative actions to reduce inequality in America were up for re-election. They all won: Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.

Of the 45 [one-percent-friendly representatives] who were up for re-election, two lost. One was Rep. Nan Hayworth, R-N.Y., who was the lead sponsor of a bill to repeal a provision in the Dodd-Frank financial reform law that requires corporations to disclose the ratio between what they pay their CEO and their workers.

This new metric could encourage a narrowing of the staggering inequality gaps within companies. In the midst of Hayworth’s two-year crusade against that provision, the SEC has failed to implement it.
November 9, 2012

Unionosity features article “The Invisible Hand Won't Stop Inequality in Its Tracks”
Visit the publisher's website • See the article

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Sign up here for Too Much, our weekly newsletter on inequality and excess:

The following are all projects of Inequality and the Common Good:

Inequality.org

This new inequality.org site aims to be your portal into all things online related to the income and wealth gaps that so divide us, in the United States and throughout the world. Visit www.Inequality.org

Too Much

Each and every week, Too Much explores excess and inequality, in the United States and throughout the world. We cover a wide swatch of territory, everything from the latest executive pay outrage to the most current research insights on how staggering income and wealth divides are impacting our health and our happiness. Visit www.TooMuchOnline.org

Common Security Clubs

These are uncertain times. The Great Recession has reminded us of our vulnerabilities: debt, foreclosure, unemployment, job insecurity, evaporating savings, and rising costs. Common Security Clubs are a safe place where neighbors come together to increase their personal security in a rapidly changing world. Visit www.CommonSecurityClub.org

Class Action and www.classism.org

Class Action is a project based at the Program on Inequality and the Common Good. We provide a dynamic framework and analysis, as well as safe space, for people from across the class spectrum to explore class and to identify and begin to dismantle classism. We accomplish this through trainings, workshops, organizational consulting, resources, public awareness, and our blog, Classism Exposed. Visit www.Classism.org

The Other 98%

The Other 98% is a grassroots network of concerned citizens fed up with the status quo in Washington. We seek practical solutions to the many challenges facing America. We stand against the bankers, CEOs and lobbyists who have hijacked our democracy to serve themselves at the expense of everyone else. Visit www.Other98.com

Wealth for the Common Good

Wealth for the Common Good is a network of business leaders, high-income households and partners working together to promote shared prosperity and fair taxation. Our membership includes entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers, school teachers, engineers and elected officials of all backgrounds, political stripes and from all over the country. Visit www.WealthForCommonGood.org

Jamaica Plain Forum

Jamaica Plain Forum is a free, public series of discussions, lectures, workshops, films, and events addressing current topics of interest to the Jamaica Plain community, a neighborhood in Boston where our IPS New England office is based. Visit www.JamaicaPlainForum.org

Jamaica Plain New Economy Transition

The Jamaica Plain New Economy Transition (JPNET) brings together neighbors to address the ongoing challenges of a hurting economy, climate change, and the rising costs of healthcare, food, and energy, and prepare for a transition to a new economy. We are part of Transition U.S. Visit www.jptransition.org

Inequality and the Common Good

The Case for Increasing Taxes on the Wealthy

Recent Work

USA Today features article “The fiscal cliff ... of '32”

Unionosity features article “In Fact, Fairly Taxing the Rich Won't Scare Them Away”

The Albany Tribune features article “In Fact, Fairly Taxing the Rich Won't Scare Them Away”

The (Prestonsburg, KY) Floyd County Times features article “For Pete's Sake, What's Happened to Our Democracy?”

Counterpunch features article “For Pete's Sake, What's Happened to Our Democracy?”

Nation of Change features article “To Move Forward, We Must Learn from Our Progressive Past”

The (Russellville, KY) News-Democrat & Leader features article “To Move Forward, We Must Learn from Our Progressive Past”

National Catholic Reporter features report “Executive Excess 2012: The CEO Hands in Uncle Sam's Pocket”

The Sidney (MT) Herald features report “Inequality Report Card: Grading Congress on Inequality”

Unionosity features article “The Invisible Hand Won't Stop Inequality in Its Tracks”

Project Staff

Associate Fellows