Thanks for the link, McGrath.

The book appears to have had a very mixed reception. The serious reviewers fall into the predictable camps, but the fact that they *are* serious tells me that most if not all of the authors' arguments are dubious. Only economists and statisticians are in a position to evaluate them, however.

As a matter of principle, it's very difficult to identify social causes and effect in statistical correlations, especially since society is crawling with independent variables. And it's even more difficult to develop sound policy decisions from statistics, much less put them into action.

At best, it sounds as though the authors have produced food for thought.

While less of a gap between rich and poor sounds like a force for increased stability and amicability, the idea of accomplishing it by legislation or decree without worse unintended consequences seems to be a pipe dream. (It's been tried more than once.)

And how to determine how narrow the gap should be to achieve what results?

I think zillionaires should give away lots more of their money, live far less ostentatiously, and be role models for values other than greed and self-promotion. (A few do try somewhat harder than the others.) But in the real world I don't see how you can force this behavior without intolerable repression generally.