CONTEXTUALIZING AN EMPIRICAL EXAMINATION OF SOCIOECONOMIC INEQUALITY

People motivated by moral and religious commitments seek to act faithfully and effectively in the face of the “signs of the times.” In order for such efforts to be well placed, of course, analysis and understanding is needed of the social realities that persons, societies, and creation as a whole, face. Religiously motivated actors have been criticized for acting with passion – but without sophistication – regarding contemporary social issues. When economic systems in particular are in question, Christian ethical perspectives are often discounted for being naive and/or Utopian – and not only by social scientists. It is incumbent upon all people who wish to engage in public debate about social and economic questions to understand the complexity, ambiguity, and indeed the potential urgency of the contemporary situation.

To examine empirical levels and trends of inequality is principally a descriptive-analytical task – undertaken in order to understand the signs of the times. Yet description, of course, reflects conscious choices that frame a particular picture of contemporary socioeconomic reality. Rather than deny this implicit value-dimension of this descriptive analysis, it is important to acknowledge that there is no other way in which to proceed with an empirical analysis. Further, as was demonstrated by reference to discussions in political philosophy and development economics, there are normative reasons for widening economic and policy-oriented debate beyond the sphere of income to include various dimensions of well-being.