The Henry Cohen Lecture “Inequality by Design” Examines the Policies that Exacerbate the Wealth Gap
This year’s Henry Cohen Lecture Series began with “Inequality by Design,” a discussion of death, taxes, and the public policies that exacerbate wealth inequality. Nina Turner, senior fellow at the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy led the panel discussion, which featured Chuck Collins, director of the Program on Inequality and the Common Good at the Institute for Policy Studies; Morris Pearl, chair of the Board of Directors of Patriotic Millionaires; and Gabriela Sandoval, executive director of the Excessive Wealth Disorder Institute.
Using clips from Justin Schein’s documentary Death & Taxes as a jumping-off point, the panelists explored the narratives and beliefs that prop up an unjust tax system and examined the relationship between tax policy, inequality, and the erosion of democratic ideals. Panelists outlined a vision of what tax policy can and should do to build an inclusive economic system that supports a thriving democracy.
The panelists examined and deconstructed the myth of the self-made millionaire, noting that the accumulation of great wealth is rarely, if ever, just the result of individual effort. Rather, great wealth building is linked to historical injustices, systemic advantages, and the multiplying effects of inherited wealth. The speakers ended with a call for a more progressive tax system that enables equitable distribution of resources and invests in public goods and services that benefit everyone.
The Henry Cohen Lecture Series brings leading thinkers, changemakers, policymakers, journalists, and activists to The New School to present their perspectives and explore the intersections of race, social stratification, and political economy to inspire economic and racial justice. This year’s events are organized around the theme Visions of a Post-Neoliberal Future, aimed at answering the question: How do we forge a new economy that fosters broad prosperity and centers economic inclusion, civic engagement, social equity, and human dignity for all, regardless of identity?
Curated by Darrick Hamilton, a University Professor, the Henry Cohen Professor of Economics and Urban Policy, and the founding director of the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy, the series is presented by the institute in partnership with the Milano School of Policy, Management, and Environment. Upcoming lectures include “From Paradigm to Power: Building a Just Political Economy for Health,” on April 1, which will look into the strategies needed to rebuild the U.S. political economy to ensure the health and well-being of all Americans, and “The Freedom Budget: From Civil Rights to Economic Rights,”on Tuesday, April 8, an exploration of the “Freedom Budget for All Americans,” a proposal aimed at promoting economic justice that was put forward by civil rights activists in 1966.