March 27, 2012 // 3:30pm — 5:30pm
Income inequality in Russia bears striking similarities to inequality in the United States--both countries have seen a growing concentration of incomes among the very highest-earning groups and stagnant wages among lower- and middle-income strata. Poverty rates are also comparable. As in the United States, income inequality has become an issue of serious concern for policy makers. Unlike the United States, however, Russia has huge differences in living standards across its 83 regional territorial units. Taking advantage of the variation in levels of income, economic structure, political regime characteristics, and income distribution across the regions, "The Politics of Inequality in Russia" investigates the political and economic reasons for the rise in inequality.