Home > Economics FAQs Blogs > Why does inequality lead to Market Failure?
This question pertains to topics in Microeconomics, such as Market Failure, Inequality, and Distribution of Resources
Market Failure: Market failure is a situation in which the allocation of goods and services by a free market is not efficient, often leading to a net social welfare loss.
Wealth and Income Inequality: This refers to the unequal distribution of assets (wealth) and income among individuals or households in a society.
Inequality can lead to market failure for several reasons:
Underconsumption: If a large proportion of the population has a low income, they will be unable to afford to consume goods and services at the level that maximises social welfare. This can lead to a lack of demand and underproduction of certain goods and services, leading to allocative inefficiency.
Limited Access to Opportunities: Inequality often means that not everyone has access to education and other opportunities, which can limit human capital development. This can lead to productive inefficiency as potential talent and skills are wasted.
Social Instability: High levels of income and wealth inequality can lead to social discontent, crime, and political instability, which can disrupt markets and harm economic growth in the long term.
United States: The US is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but it also has significant income and wealth inequality. The richest 1% of the population owns nearly 40% of the country's total wealth, while the bottom 90% owns less than 25%. This inequality has led to social unrest and political polarization, and it has been suggested as a cause of the subprime mortgage crisis, which led to the Great Recession.
South Africa: South Africa has one of the highest levels of income inequality in the world, largely a legacy of the apartheid era. Despite the end of apartheid, the racial wealth gap remains large, leading to social and economic instability. This inequality hampers economic growth and leads to market inefficiencies as large portions of the population cannot afford to consume goods and services at optimal levels.
Wealth and income inequality can lead to market failure due to underconsumption, limited access to opportunities, and social instability. Underconsumption can lead to allocative inefficiency, while limited access to opportunities can result in productive inefficiency. Social instability caused by high levels of inequality can disrupt markets and harm economic growth. The United States and South Africa provide real-world examples of how inequality can lead to market failure.
