Class 6: Political Power and Wealth by UC Berkeley Professor Reich

This week brings us to one of the core problems of widening inequality the inevitability that concentrated income and wealth at the top comes with political power. This creates a vicious cycle by which the superrich get changes in the rules of the game that make them even richer, which enables them to make further changes. The questions Ill be addressing this week: How does economic power translate into political power How does political power generate more economic power How much of the phenomenon of widening inequality is due to this vicious cycle Also: Whats the difference between predistribution and redistribution of income and wealth In what ways are income and wealth now predistributed upward This is the sixth class in the 14week series. Ive shared some select readings from the syllabus for you. Theyre available at: Class Outline 00:00 Recap of prior