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The distribution of wealth in Canada : its existing pattern and changing trend

University of British Columbia

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the existing pattern and changing trend of the distribution of wealth in today's Canada. In doing so I explore both theoretical accounts and empirical evidence. First, the theoretical perspectives of both classical (Marx, Durkheim, and Weber) and contemporary (Blumberg, Westergaard and Resler, Porter, and Clement) social thinkers were discussed. The objective of this review was to describe the sociological interpretations and explanations of the distribution of wealth. Second, existing evidence was reviewed and new data was gathered on the wealth distribution in Canada. The existing data came from Osberg, Hunter, Vaillancourt, Rashid, and Oja. New data concerning such issues as welfare state, income disparity, and important wealth components was examined to augment the previously existing data. The Canadian wealth distribution proved to be unequal and to have become slightly more unequal over time. The concluding chapter briefly reviews possible explanations for this set of findings.

Text

2010-07-26

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/26894

Anthropology

University of British Columbia

Graduate