Geography 2050 (2021) Symposium Chair’s Panel: Economic Policies for a More Equitable Future: Three Economists' Views

Amy Glassmeyer, a professor at MIT, discusses income and wealth inequality in the US, citing historic and spatial factors. She illustrates how income inequality has reached historic highs, affecting 60% of Americans. Glassmeyer examines income distribution from 1963 to 2016, highlighting the widening gap between the top earners and the rest of society. She emphasizes the persistent disparities among racial and ethnic groups, attributing them to historical injustices like slavery and Jim Crow laws. Glassmeyer correlates income and wealth disparities with job access, education, and gender, noting how they limit economic potential and retirement security. She highlights the gender pay gap and its amplification with education levels. Glassmeyer underscores the regional disparities, particularly in the South, where economic mobility is low.