A rapidly growing area of economic research investigates the top of
the income distribution using data from income tax records. This volume
brings together studies of top incomes for twelve countries from around
the world, including China, India, Japan, Argentina and Indonesia.
Together with the first volume, published in 2007, the studies cover
twenty two countries. They have a long time span, the earliest data
relating to 1875 (for Norway), allowing recent developments to be placed
in historical perspective. The volume describes in detail the source
data and the methods employed. It will be an invaluable reference source
for researchers in the field. Individual country chapters deal with the
specific nature of the data for each of the countries, and describe the
long-term evolution of top income shares.

In the countries as a whole, dramatic changes have taken place at the
top of the income distribution. Over the first part of the century, top
income shares fell markedly. This largely took the form of a reduction
in capital incomes. The different authors examine the impact of the
First and Second World Wars, contrasting countries that were and were
not engaged. They consider the impact of depressions and banking crises,
and pay particular attention to the impact of progressive taxation.

In the last 30 years, the shares of top incomes have increased markedly
in the US and other Anglo-Saxon countries, reflecting the increased
dispersion of earnings. The volume includes statistics on the much-
discussed top pay and bonuses, providing a global perspective that
discusses important differences between countries such as the lesser
increase in Continental Europe. This book, together with volume 1,
documents this interesting development and explores the underlying
causes. The findings are brought together in a final summary chapter
by Atkinson, Piketty and Saez.

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