Diskussionsforum: Abmilderung der sozialen Ungleichheit?

Abstract

The remarkable reduction in social inequality in Western Europe from the 1950s to the 1970s poses an exciting challenge for historians and social scientists. The reduction of disparities in income and wealth has been explored extensively ; this article covers two further aspects to this trend. Firstly, it shows that in other social dimensions such as housing, health and education, the reduction of disparities is far less clear. Secondly, it argues that explanations for the partial yet significant reduction in social inequality require further elaboration. Policies such as taxation on high income, welfare support for the poor and expansive education were important; but temporary and unique economic and social factors are also key to explaining this remarkable development in rates of inequality.