Sociologist David Grusky argues that all the usual debilitating debates about inequality can be sidestepped if we focus on the worst forms – those rooted in cronyism, racism, and nepotism – that everyone can agree are nothing more than a pernicious transfer of income or wealth from the powerless to the powerful. To fight this “worst form” of inequality, Grusky shows how powerful interventions can be identified with new quasi-experimental methods, including those that use naturally occurring or AI-generated doppelgangers instead of very expensive randomized controlled trials. “We’re leaving a lot of talent on the table. And the cost is profound,” Grusky tells host Russ Altman about the price of inequality on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

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Episode Reference Links:

Stanford Profile: David Grusky

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Chapters:

(00:00:00) Introduction

Russ Altman introduces guest David Grusky, a professor of sociology at Stanford University.

(00:02:57) Studying Inequality

David explains his motivation for studying inequality.

(00:03:44) What Is Good Inequality?

How productive contributions create justifiable inequalities in income.

(00:04:48) Example of Bad Inequality

When legitimate productivity becomes mixed with exploitation

(00:07:22) Widespread Nature of Bad Inequality

Different groups within society who benefit from bad inequality.

(00:10:58) The Birth Lottery Problem

How the circumstances of birth create hidden advantages.

(00:13:15) Status & Social Class Inequality

Whether prestige and non-financial rewards intersect with inequality.

(00:14:52) Good Jobs vs. Bad Jobs

What constitutes a good job in an era of rapid technological change.

(00:16:20) The Limits of Progressive Taxation

Why progressive taxation fails to distinguish between inequalities.

(00:21:01) Predistribution Solutions

Preventing bad inequality before it occurs with institutional reform.

(00:24:31) Reform Challenges

How entrenched interests and weak evaluation block reform progress.

(00:25:54) Inequality Research Tools

Quasi-experimental methods that evaluate inequality interventions.

(00:28:39) AI Clones for Policy Testing

Using large language models to simulate individuals and test policy ideas.

(00:33:55) Conclusion

Connect With Us:

Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website

Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon

Connect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook

The future of inequality

The Future of Everything