In the latest contribution to our “What is Inequality?” series, Suresh Naidu argues that the recent focus on income redistribution as a remedy for inequality can distract from more fundamental limitations to the liberty of workers as economic actors. Naidu explores the nature of the labor contract in capitalist economies and other constraints on “economic democracy,” and suggests reforms that would make unions more effective in addressing these constraints.
Suresh Naidu
Suresh Naidu is an associate professor of economics and international affairs at Columbia University. He has a master's degree in economics from UMass Amherst and a PhD from UC Berkeley, and works on political economy, economic history, and development economics.