On Economic Inequality

Amartya Sen's 1973 lectures, expanded with James Foster in 1997, remain foundational to how economists think about measuring inequality. Sen doesn't just survey techniques — he examines the philosophical assumptions behind different measurement approaches and asks what they reveal or conceal about justice and welfare. William Baumol called it a rare volume that offers comprehensive coverage in a readable package, and for economists that assessment holds. The honest caveat is that this is genuinely technical work requiring graduate-level economics background; general readers drawn to the topic of inequality will find Sen's popular writings far more accessible. For researchers, policy analysts, and advanced students, however, this is essential reading that rewards the effort.