Skip to main content

The Pay of Corporate Executives and Financial Professionals as Evidence of Rents in Top 1 Percent Incomes

Josh Bivens and Lawrence Mishel Economic Policy Institute
This working paper was prepared for a forum on the top one percent to be published in the Summer 2013 issue of the Journal of Economic Perspectives. It is an analysis of the pay of the top 1 percent, specifically CEO's and top financial professionals as a form of "rent." In other words, the pay is not related to the talent or the productive effort of these individuals and if it were cut through taxation, there would be no harm to the economy.

Canadians Pay Taxes for Universal Health Care, and Now They're Richer Than Us

Dr. Philip Caper Bangor Daily News
Many conservatives still characterize Medicaid as “welfare,” and many think of it as such. Presumably other types of health care coverage have been “earned” (think veterans and the military, highly paid executives, union members and congressional staff). We resent our tax dollars going to “freeloaders.” Until the slicing and dicing is ended, the finger pointing, blame shifting and their attendant political wars will continue.
Subscribe to Taxation