Monday, June 12, 2006

Young vs Old in France

Economist Brigitte Granville reports on the French distribution of income:

Unlike most other OECD countries, where inequalities have increased over the last 30 years, in France pre-tax income inequality decreased slightly, or at worst remained stable, from 1970 to 2000. But this aggregate stability masks shifts in income distribution that have favored older age cohorts. Those around retirement age (51-65) saw their share in total income rise by three percentage points in the last ten years, while younger groups, particularly those aged 18-25, lost ground, with their income share falling by five percentage points. By 1995, relative poverty was increasing sharply for young adults, while the opposite trend occurred among the elderly.

So much for Equality. Maybe there is still hope for Liberty and Fraternity.