Author

Having a decent share of the national wealth for the middle class is not bad for growth. It is actually useful both for equity and efficiency reasons.

From Thomas Piketty

'Das Kapital,' I think, is very difficult to read, and for me, it was not very influential.

From Thomas Piketty

The United States could transform its property tax system into a progressive tax on net worth without asking permission to the rest of the world.

From Thomas Piketty

I loved American universities. In many ways, they are better organized - certainly than French universities.

From Thomas Piketty

Economists tend to think they are much, much smarter than historians, than everybody. And this is a bit too much because at the end of the day, we don't know very much in economics.

From Thomas Piketty

The U.S. is the country that invented progressive taxation of income and of inherited wealth in the 1910s and '20s.

From Thomas Piketty

Capitalism and market forces are very powerful in producing wealth and innovation. But we need to ensure that these forces act in the common interest.

From Thomas Piketty