Podcasts Education Self-Improvement Conversations with Tyler Thomas Piketty on the Politics of Equality

Thomas Piketty on the Politics of Equality

Published: April 20, 2022, noon

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When it comes to the enormous reduction of income inequality during the 20th century, Thomas Piketty sees politics everywhere. In his new book, A Brief History of Equality, he argues the rising equality during the 19th and 20th centuries has its roots not in deterministic economic forces but in the movements to end aristocratic and colonial societies starting at the end of the 18th century. Drawing this line forward, Piketty also contends\\xa0we must rectify past injustices before attempting to create new institutions.

He joined Tyler to discuss just how egalitarian France actually is, the beginning of the end of aristocratic society, where he places himself within French intellectual history, why he\\u2019s skeptical of data from before the late 18th century, how public education drives economic development, why Georgism isn\\u2019t sufficient to address wealth inequality, the relationship between wealth and cultural capital, his proposal for a minimum inheritance, why he turned down the Legion of Honor, why France should give reparations to Haiti despite the logistical difficulties of doing so, his vision for European federalism, why more immigration won\\u2019t be a panacea for inequality, his thoughts on Michel Houellebecq\\u2019s Submission, and more.

Read a\\xa0full transcript\\xa0enhanced with helpful links, or watch the\\xa0full video.

Recorded March 8th, 2022

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