In some European countries, where income inequality has remained in check, this has been a component of a deliberate strategy to maintain employment growth and competitiveness in the tradable part of the economy, with wage restraint partly shared across the income distribution. In the United States, income inequality has risen as the upper end of the income and education spectrum benefits from globalization, while the rest experience declining employment opportunities in the tradable sector.
许多（事实上，是绝大多数）发达国家经历了有限的中等收入增长。在一些收入不平等程度仍然较小的欧洲国家，维持就业增长和可贸易部分的竞争力已成为有意为之的战略，工资限制在一定程度上是由所有收入水平阶层共同承担的。在美国，高端收入和教育人群受益于全球化，而其他阶层则因可贸易部门就业机会不断减少而受到了打击，因此收入不平等性增加了。