Many international comparisons of the distribution of income have appeared in the recent economics literature. Such comparisons are often based on the Luxembourg Income Study, which provides data for many countries based on standardized definitions of income. No such international database is available, however, for comparisons of wealth. This article, by an economist known for his extensive studies of the distribution of wealth, assembles wealth data for eight different countries, including relatively long time services for three of them. It summarizes the changes in the U.S. wealth distribution over time and contrasts it with other countries.
