Labour Market and Earnings Inequality: Empirical Evidence and Possible Determinants

n this paper we evidence the persistent increase in wage dispersion over the past thirty years in many industrialized countries. We then go on to discuss the main determinants of this process identified by the economic literature: (i) the nature of technological change; (ii) deregulation of markets; (iii) globalization; vi) social norms and bargaining power. In addition, on the basis of the recent contributions by Piketty, we turn attention to a dimension of equality typically underestimated in approaches to activating social policy, although crucial for growth and equality of opportunity, i.e. wealth inequality.