Innovation + Equality
The amazing technological advances of the last two decades have benefited society collectively and rewarded innovators handsomely. Innovation + Equality makes the case that pursuing innovation does not mean giving up on equality—precisely the opposite. This book outlines ways that society can become both more entrepreneurial and more egalitarian. Innovation + Equality argues that rather than betting on the future of particular professions, we should consider policies that embrace uncertainty and protect people from unfavorable outcomes.
Praise for Innovation + Equality
“Fostering innovation and reducing inequality are the two fundamental challenges of modern economies. This important book offers both crucial insights and practical policy suggestions. It is a must-read for economists, policymakers, and voters.”
— Christina Romer, UC Berkeley, Former Chair of Council of Economic Advisors
“While there’s no economic law that innovation will benefit the many, not just a few, Gans and Leigh provide a clear, cogent blueprint for a future of widely shared prosperity. Every policymaker and citizen should read it.”
— Erik Brynjolfsson, MIT, co-author of The Second Machine Age
“The central virtue of a market economy is its capacity to innovate. But today inequality is creating divisions that endanger our future. Some claim that these inequalities are the inevitable consequence of an innovative society. Gans and Leigh debunk that theory. Their exciting book shows us that it really is possible to shape a society in which we have more innovation and more equality.
— Joseph Stiglitz, Columbia, Nobel laureate, Former Chair of Council of Economic Advisors
“Is inequality really the price we have to pay for innovation? In this hugely enjoyable book, Gans and Leigh make a strong case for believing that we don’t have to make this tradeoff, that we can have both a bigger cake and a more equitable division of the slices. This one of the central problems of our time and the book is hugely convincing and beautifully written. Buy it!”
— Rebecca Henderson, Harvard
“We have been told that great innovation naturally leads to great inequality, a winner-take-all economy. We are then presented with a dilemma, innovation, or equality? In Innovation+Equality, Joshua Gans and Andrew Leigh draw on their wealth of experience in politics, economics, and venture capital to transcend this dilemma and show that we can have technological innovation and greater equality, an all-win economy. Bravo!”
— Alex Tabarrok, George Mason