Economic Inequality Interactive: Understanding causes, dimensions and policy responses
Most inequality comes from inheritance
Before you earn a dollar, your starting position is already set by wealth passed down, postcode and family networks. Drag the slider to see how much of total inequality comes from inherited advantage versus market forces and policy choices.
Inequality Anatomy
Inheritance 50%
Adjust the contribution of inherited wealth to total inequality
3 Sources Active
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Inherited Share
50%
Market+Policy Share
50%
The gender pay gap measures the difference between average male and female earnings, typically expressed as a percentage of male earnings. It persists even after controlling for occupation, hours and experience, revealing discrimination and structural barriers like unpaid care work, occupational segregation into lower-paid sectors, and interrupted career paths. The gap widens after childbirth and compounds over a lifetime, directly feeding into retirement wealth inequality. Measurement matters: full-time equivalent vs actual earnings, mean vs median, and whether superannuation is included all shift the headline figure.
Know This
Inequality has three causes — market forces, institutions, and inheritance — and policy can target each with a distinct tool.