Freie Berufe – Hat die Ungleichheit und Polarisierung von Einkommen und Zeit zugenommen?

Abstract

This study analyses inequality and polarization of income in Germany over the last 30 years. Beyond the unidimensional income analysis for the first time the development of multidimensional inequality and polarization of income and time is examined by a new multidimensional polarization intensity (2DGAP) for the full time working poor and rich. The focus is on the situation and development of employees and self-employed as freelancers and other self-employed. Data bases are the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) 1984 till 2012 and the German Time Use Studies (GTUS) of the Federal Statistical Office 1991/92, 2001/02 and actual 2012/13. Prominent results: Freelance income is inequally distributed in particular with a relative high concentration of high income. There is a distinct increase of freelance income polarization over the last 30 years (SOEP). Multidimensional time and income polarization intensity of the employees increased the most over the 20 GTUS years 1991/92 till 2012/13, however, the degree of the multidimensional polarization gap, the distance to the pole ends (polarization intensity), is highest for the self-employed in all three years.