Inequality and Public Economics

What we do

The section is the ETH competence centre for questions on the distribution of income and wealth in Switzerland. Its research focuses on the analysis of inequality of income and wealth, intergenerational mobility and equality of opportunity, the role of tax policy and tax competition for distribution, and the effects of tax changes on tax revenues and on the behaviour of individuals.

Due to their great importance for the tax base and their influence on inequality in Switzerland, wealthy households are regularly the focus of analyses. In empirical studies on Switzerland, developments and findings from other countries are also always used for comparison.

How we work

By providing fact-based, meaningful evidence on distribution and tax policy issues, the section regularly makes important, scientifically sound contributions to current social and political discussions. The underlying research work is based on large and linked data sets (keyword: "big data"), which are analysed using innovative research designs and modern empirical methods of causal inference, as well as on historical data and statistics, which make it possible to show long-term trends over the entire 20th century.

The scientific work is regularly published in international scientific journals. The list of publications includes renowned journals such as the American Economic Review, the Review of Economics and Statistics and the Journal of Urban Economics.
Forecasting activities

As part of KOF's economic forecasts, the section also presents quarterly estimates on the development of government consumption and tax revenues in Switzerland.