Government at a Glance 2021
The 2021 edition includes input indicators on public finance and employment; process indicators include data on institutions, budgeting practices, human resources management, regulatory governance, public procurement, governance of infrastructure, public sector integrity, open government and digital government. Outcome indicators cover core government results (e.g. trust, political efficacy, inequality reduction) and indicators on access, responsiveness, quality and satisfaction for the education, health and justice sectors. Governance indicators are useful for monitoring and benchmarking governments’ progress in their public sector reforms.
Also available in: French
Income redistribution
Income inequality has a profound impact not only on individuals’ and families’ living conditions and their health status, but also on societies as a whole by threatening social cohesion, curbing economic growth and weakening trust in institutions. Most OECD member countries have adopted a mixture of public policies to reduce income inequality in society and its long-term effect on economic progress. These include social protection and insurance systems financed through a combination of cash transfers and progressive income taxes. They have also used specific fiscal stimulus packages to boost demand and cushion poorer households from the impact of crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. These measures, aimed at addressing income inequality by redistributing income between rich and poor, but also between generations, could also provide support to age groups in greater need. Finally, other elements, such as wealth taxation, could also increase the effectiveness of redistributive policies (Kuypers et al., 2021).
Also available in: French