Kuznets curve

English

Etymology

Named after economist Simon Kuznets (1901–1985).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkʌznɛts kɝv/

Noun

Kuznets curve (plural Kuznets curves)

1. (economics) A theoretical curve that graphs the hypothesis that as an economy develops, market forces first increase and then decrease economic inequality.
   • 2012 April 30, Kentaro Toyama, “The Rise and Fall and Rise (Literally) of the Most Important Curve in Economics”, in The Atlantic‎^[1]:

     On the surface, the Kuznets curve seems to justify laissez-faire economics and trickle-down policies.

   • 2014 July 29, George Monbiot, “The rich want us to believe their wealth is good for us all”, in The Guardian‎^[2]:

     Their creed is based on the Kuznets curve, the graph that appears to show that inequality automatically declines as capitalism advances, spreading wealth from the elite to the rest.