A Shrinking Universe: How Concentrated Corporate Power is Shaping Income Inequality in Canada

Abstract

The deepening of income inequality in Canada is a well-documented phenomenon, but the driving forces behind this trend have been subject to less scrutiny. This paper looks at income inequality over time and shows how the growth of income concentration in the hands of the richest 1% is connected to the concentration of corporate power among the 60 largest Canadian-based firms. (This study is the 2012 winner of the Progressive Economics Forum student essay contest.)