Wealth and the Wealthy: Exploring and Tackling Inequalities between Rich and Poor

The wealthy have received relatively little attention from social scientists despite the growing gap between rich and poor. A much-needed step forward for the wealth debate, Wealth and the Wealthy draws on new data to answer the following key questions: What is wealth? Who has it? Where might we draw a wealth line? Who would be above it? And how should policy address wealth and the wealthy? Karen Rowlingson and Stephen McKay comprehensively and critically examine these issues and explore potential policy responses, including asset-based welfare and taxation.

Karen Rowlingson is professor of social policy and director of the Centre on Household Assets and Savings Management at the University of Birmingham. Stephen McKay is professor of social research in the School of Social Policy at the University of Birmingham.