WP 1. Financial Inequality

Työpaketti 1: Taloudellinen eriarvoisuus

Suomi on erinomainen esimerkki taloudellisen eriarvoisuuden kasvusta. Pitkään jatkunut tuloerojen kaventuminen katkesi 1990-luvun puolivälissä, ja tuloerot kääntyivät kasvuun. Muihin länsimaihin verrattuna kasvu oli poikkeuksellisen nopea ja jyrkkä. 1990-luvun laman jälkeen taloudellinen eriarvoisuus on pysynyt pohjoismaisessa mittakaavassa korkealla tasolla. Erot näkyvät myös varallisuudessa, ja varallisuuserojen kasvu on jatkunut myös 2000-luvulla.

TITA tutkii eriarvoisuutta suomalaisten tuloissa, varallisuudessa ja kulutuksessa. Pitkän aikavälin kehityksen ohella hanke tutkii äkkinäisten taloudellisten shokkien seurauksia.

WP 1. Financial inequality

In Finland, financial inequalities decreased until the recession of the early 1990s. However, during rapid economic growth after the recession financial inequality began to rise again and has remained relatively high in the 2000s. Wealth inequality has increased during the 2000s, and income poverty has also expanded from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s.

TITA studies inequality in income, wealth and consumption and analyses both long-term trends as well as the effects of short-term shocks.

Scientific coordinator: Markus Jäntti, Stockholm University

1.1. Trends in and drivers of financial inequality

Team analyses long-term trends in and associations between financial inequalities measured by income, wealth and consumption. It examines the pure effects of the changes in tax-benefit system by making microsimulation evaluations about core reforms’ effects on income poverty, income inequality and work incentives.

Team leader:

Mikko Niemelä, University of Turku

Members:

Pertti Honkanen, Social Insurance Institution of Finland
Markus Jäntti, Stockholm University
Esa Karonen, University of Turku
Ilkka Koiranen, University of Turku
Taru Lindblom, University of Tampere
Jussi Tervola, National Institute for Health and Welfare
Antti Veilahti, Social Insurance Institution of Finland
Antti Kähäri, University of Turku
Roosa Sandell, University of Turku

External research partners and teams:

Tax-benefit microsimulation model for the European Union (EUROMOD), University of Essex

1.2. Long-term trends and short-term shocks in housing related inequalities

Team explores the links between urbanisation and long-term changes in housing wealth and housing costs but also focuses on short-term shocks on the local level with special emphasis on how shocks in housing markets affect households’ housing wealth and housing circumstances. It also analyses the significance of housing allowances and housing tenure for households’ moves into and out of poverty.

Team leader:

Hannu Ruonavaara, University of Turku

Members:

Aleksi Karhula, University of Turku
Timo Kauppinen, National Institute for Health and Welfare
Hanna Kettunen, University of Turku

External research partners and teams:

Stefan Olafsson, University of Iceland