1

This article proposes a methodological framework and examines long-term and more recent levels and trends in economic inequality and poverty in OECD countries. Section 1 outlines the conceptual and methodological choices necessary for such an analysis in an international and comparative context. Section 2 provides an in-depth analysis of the various phases in the evolution of income and wealth inequalities over recent decades. Section 3 explores poverty trends using a range of indicators, including relative monetary, non-monetary, and subjective poverty measures. Finally, Section 4 evaluates the effects of major developments on resource inequalities and emphasizes the critical role of the welfare state in significantly reducing inequality and poverty, particularly in European countries—although in most countries, this impact has weakened over the long term. The article concludes by identifying a pressing challenge for future research: the need to develop concepts, methods, and empirical analyses to better understand how inequality and poverty are intertwined with the climate emergency.