Miles CorakEdit
Miles Corak is a Canadian economist renowned for his work on income inequality, intergenerational mobility, and the policy questions that connect both. His research has helped frame a core question in modern economics: how does a society's level of inequality affect the ability of the next generation to do better than the previous one? Through cross‑country analysis and careful attention to data, Corak has highlighted how the distribution of income today interacts with families’ investment in their children, shaping long‑run growth and opportunity. He is best known for popularizing the concept now widely discussed in policy debates as the Great Gatsby Curve, which summarizes a link between inequality and mobility across generations. The Great Gatsby Curve His work has influenced debates in national capitals and international forums about how best to promote opportunity while sustaining economic dynamism. income inequality intergenerational mobility
Corak’s career centers on the study of how public policy, markets, and family decisions intersect to determine mobility outcomes. He has held academic appointments and research roles at major North American institutions and has been a frequent voice in policy discussions, contributing to the evidence base that governments draw on when designing tax systems, education policy, and social programs. His work emphasizes that opportunities for children are shaped not only by current living standards but by the long tail of choices and investments made within families and communities. public policy education policy economic mobility
The Great Gatsby Curve and intergenerational mobility
The Great Gatsby Curve, a term associated with Corak, captures a cross‑country relationship in which societies with higher income inequality tend to exhibit lower intergenerational mobility. In practical terms, in places where a family’s income today is highly predictive of a child’s future income, the opportunity for upward mobility across generations tends to be more limited. Corak’s framing of the curve brought attention to the idea that reducing excessive inequality can be a lever for expanding opportunity, while also warning that without safeguards, growth and mobility may move in conflicting directions. The Great Gatsby Curve intergenerational mobility income inequality
This perspective has influenced policy discussions in areas such as early childhood investment, education quality, and tax and transfers. Proponents on the policy side have argued that strategic investments—especially in early life and in ways that improve parental and child outcomes—can boost mobility without imposing heavy costs on growth. Critics from various quarters have debated the strength and interpretation of the curve, noting that mobility outcomes depend on a complex mix of labor market structure, family dynamics, data measurement, and historical factors. Nonetheless, Corak’s articulation helped anchor a mainstream expectation that inequality and opportunity are closely linked in a way that can guide policy design. labor economics education policy tax policy
Policy perspectives and debates
From a perspective that prizes broad economic freedom and efficiency, Corak’s work is often cited to support targeted, results‑oriented policy rather than broad, indiscriminate redistribution. The central insight is not that the state should do less, but that policy should focus on the most effective ways to expand opportunity: high‑quality early education, accessible and affordable schooling, skill formation, and pathways to good jobs. In this view, mobility is enhanced when markets can allocate talent efficiently and when families have secure opportunities to invest in their children’s futures through prudent public support that minimizes deadweight loss. early childhood education Education policy public policy
The debates around Corak’s findings frequently hinge on measurement and interpretation. Critics argue that mobility can be overstated or misunderstood due to how opportunity is defined and how data are collected across generations. Some contend that a focus on equality of outcomes versus equality of opportunity can obscure the incentives that drive growth and innovation. Proponents of market‑driven reform counter that well‑designed policies can raise opportunity without sacrificing dynamism, arguing that the most effective mobility improvements come from improving schooling quality, upskilling workers, reducing barriers to entry in labor markets, and lowering frictions in entrepreneurship. In this frame, Corak’s emphasis on mobility is best realized through policies that promote human capital and adaptable labor markets rather than large, across‑the‑board redistribution. economic mobility tax policy labor economics
Controversies and debates around Corak’s work also touch on the broader political economy of inequality. Critics on one side argue that focusing on intergenerational mobility can obscure the moral and social costs of inequality and can justify complacency about distribution. Supporters of market‑friendly reforms maintain that the most durable gains come from policies that expand opportunity and empower families to invest in children, rather than relying on perpetual transfers. In this sense, the discussion around Corak’s curve is part of a larger debate about how to balance fairness, freedom, and growth in modern economies. public policy inequality growth policy
See also discussions and related topics in the literature on intergenerational mobility and the broader debate over how best to structure tax policy and education policy to sustain growth while expanding opportunity. Canada economic policy