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Monday, February 10, 2014

Are you part of the top 1%? 

Fascinating factoids from World Bank economist, Branko Milanovic: You need an annual income of just $34,000 a year to be in the richest 1% of the world. To be in the top half of the globe you need to earn just $1,225 a year. For the top 20%, it's $5,000 per year. Enter the top 10% with $12,000 a year. To be included in the top 0.1% requires an annual income of $70,000. Something to ponder next time we rage about the top 1% :)

Sunday, February 09, 2014

Ambedkar vs Gandhi on village empowerment 

Swami Aiyar channels Ambedkar in his criticism of well-meaning village empowerment, a subject made topical by the AAP party's moves towards decentralization to the mohalla level. 

Arun Shourie's Wincott lecture from 2008 

Weekend long read 2: Arun Shourie delivers a masterclass on the political economy of reforms. A must read for anyone interested in why it is so difficult to do the manifestly obvious. 

Car dependency in the US vs Europe 

Nine reasons why the U.S. ended up more car dependant. 

The consequences of equal marriages 

Weekend read 1: A very thoughtful New York Times magazine story. Long, but worth reading to the end.