Inherited vs Self-Made Wealth: Theory & Evidence from a Rentier Society (Paris 1872– 1927). Piketty, T., Postel-Vinay, G., & Rosenthal, J. Explorations in Economic History, 51(1):21–40, Academic Press, 2014.
Inherited vs Self-Made Wealth: Theory & Evidence from a Rentier Society (Paris 1872– 1927) [link]Link  doi  abstract   bibtex   
We divide decedents into two groups: "rentiers" (whose wealth is smaller than the capitalized value of their inherited wealth) and "savers" (who consumed less than their labor income). Applying this split to a unique micro data set on inheritance and matrimonial property regimes, we find that Paris from 1872 to 1927 was a "rentier society". Rentiers made up about 10% of the population of Parisians but owned 70% of aggregate wealth. Rentier societies thrive when the rate of return on private wealth r is larger than the growth rate g (say, r. = 4% vs g. = 2%). This was the case in the 19th and early 20th centuries and is likely to happen again in the 21st century. At the time, top successors' capital income sustains living standards far beyond what labor income alone would permit.
@article{Pikettyetal2014,
  title = {Inherited vs Self-Made Wealth: Theory \& Evidence from a Rentier Society (Paris 1872\textendash 1927)},
  author = {Piketty, Thomas and {Postel-Vinay}, Gilles and Rosenthal, Jean-Laurent},
  year = {2014},
  journal = {Explorations in Economic History},
  volume = {51},
  number = {1},
  pages = {21--40},
  publisher = {{Academic Press}},
  doi = {10.1016/j.eeh.2013.07.004},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eeh.2013.07.004},
  abstract = {We divide decedents into two groups: "rentiers" (whose wealth is smaller than the capitalized value of their inherited wealth) and "savers" (who consumed less than their labor income). Applying this split to a unique micro data set on inheritance and matrimonial property regimes, we find that Paris from 1872 to 1927 was a "rentier society". Rentiers made up about 10\% of the population of Parisians but owned 70\% of aggregate wealth. Rentier societies thrive when the rate of return on private wealth r is larger than the growth rate g (say, r. = 4\% vs g. = 2\%). This was the case in the 19th and early 20th centuries and is likely to happen again in the 21st century. At the time, top successors' capital income sustains living standards far beyond what labor income alone would permit.},
  keywords = {Determinants of Wealth and Wealth Inequality,Intergenerational Wealth}
}

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