Inkomstojämlikhet: Demokrati över socioekonomiska gränser

Sammanfattning: In the last couple of decades increased levels of income inequality, measured in gini index, have been observed in many established democracies. Simultaneously, an alarming trend of democratic backsliding has emerged. In previous research the correlation between high levels of income inequality and decreasing levels of democracy has been observed in young and unstable democratic societies. However, the same correlation has not been extensively explored in established democracies. The aim of this paper is thus to explore the mentioned correlation in established democracies, measured as fundamental rights, in an attempt to fill the gap of knowledge. The correlation is more specifically examined in the United States and Canada. It is presupposed that the top one percent of income earners oppose the redistributive power of democracy. Concomitantly, they appear to be more politically active than the rest of the population. This consequently results in political power being overstated within the richest percent and thus an erosion of fundamental rights as an aspect of democracy. The paper concludes that there are incentives to argue, based on statistics and theory, that there is a correlation between income inequality and decreasing levels of democracy. The essay does, however, highlight the importance of further research to substantiate these results.