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The Ernest Lluch Foundation and the Ivie have analyzed the problems of a society with rising inequalities despite globalization

Antón Costas (Professor of Economic Policy) and José Fernández Albertos (CSIC researcher) have recently inaugurated a series of dialogues on “Inequality and Democracy” that reflects on the distribution of wealth in Spain.

The Ernest Lluch Foundation and the Ivie have recently inaugurated, in Valencia, a series of 5 dialogues on “Inequality and Democracy”, which will take place until November 22, 2018. The series seeks to raise awareness of the problems arising from the growing inequalities in today’s society. Ten renowned experts will debate on gender inequality, the digital gap, labor market challenges and doubts regarding the common European project.

With this series of dialogues, the two institutions will jointly analyze the relationship between democracy and inequality in an increasingly globalized economic context that is unable to achieve common progress. The venue for the five dialogues is Adeit (Valencia) and they are open to all those interested in sharing in-depth reflections on the relationship between inequality and democracy.

The first of the five scheduled debates was led by Antón Costas (Professor of Political Economy at the University of Barcelona and President of the Fundación Cercle D’Economia) and José Fernández Albertos (researcher at the Institute of Political and Public Goods attached to CSIC). These two experts discussed growing social inequality and the impoverishment of the population, questioning not only the concepts of middle class and social ladder, but also the role of the state in wealth redistribution and of the political parties in making such policies effective.

The audience actively participated in the debate, posing questions that were answered directly by the speakers.

The remaining dialogues in the series are as follows:

• October 3rd. Dialogue 2: “Is the digital society more equal?” by Jorge Barrero (General Director of Cotec Foundation) and Helena Herrero (President and CEO of HP for Spain and Portugal)
• October 29th. Dialogue 3: “Gender inequality” by Cristina Gallach (High Commissioner for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development) and Lina Gálvez (Professor of Economic History and Institutions at Pablo de Olavide University in Seville, and Counselor of Knowledge, Research, and University of the Regional Government of Andalusia)
• November 14th, 2018. Dialogue 4: “The challenges of the labor market: labor inequality and poverty” by Sara de la Rica (Professor of Economics at the University of the Basque Country, and Associate Researcher at FEDEA and  Member of ISEAK) and Aitor Lacuesta (Head of the Structural Analysis Division, Bank of Spain)
• November 22nd, 2018. Dialogue 5: “A perplexed Europe: imperfect democracy and the European social model—under review” by Joaquín Almunia (Chairman of Think-Tank CEPS, Visiting Professor at LSE European Institute and Paris School of International Affairs [PSIA], Vice President and European Commissioner for Competition [2010-2014] and Economic and Monetary Affairs [2004-2010]) and Daniel Innerarity (Professor of Political and Social Philosophy, Researcher at “Ikerbasque” of the University of the Basque Country and Director of its Institute of Governance)