Inequality concerns us all, as it has a negative impact on every aspect of life – such as social and geographical mobility, education and health. In a society where opportunities and wealth are distributed extremely unevenly, citizens’ subjective well-being declines – across all social classes.
This can lead to social tensions and make us less resilient to crises. Unequal societies are also highly hostile to innovation, as financial resources become increasingly immobilised. In short: our democracy and our future are at stake.
On the re:publica stage, Jutta Allmendinger and Kevin Kühnert will discuss inequality and issues of distribution. In a discussion moderated by Geraldine de Bastion, the sociologist and the Finanzwende lobbyist address current developments and outline ways in which we could successfully change course – for example, in relation to inheritance tax or housing construction, but also in education and labour market policy.
Jutta Allmendinger is Professor of Sociology of Education and Labour Market Research at Humboldt University of Berlin and, since 2012, Honorary Professor of Sociology at Freie Universität Berlin. From 2007 to 2024, she was President of the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB). She serves on numerous advisory boards in Germany and abroad. In 2022, she chaired the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council (GEAC) under the German presidency. She is currently a member of, amongst others, the German Ethics Council, the Science Council of Germany, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the editorial board of the weekly newspaper DIE ZEIT, and the supervisory board of Berliner Stadtreinigung.
Kevin Kühnert heads the Taxation, Distribution and Lobbying division at the citizens’ movement Finanzwende, which campaigns for fair, stable and sustainable financial markets as a counterweight to the financial lobby. Before joining Finanzwende, Kühnert was active in the SPD for 20 years, serving, among other roles, as Federal Chairman of the Jusos (2017 to 2021), Deputy Party Chairman (2019 to 2021) and Secretary-General (2021 to 2024). From 2021 to 2025, he served as a directly elected Member of the Bundestag for his home constituency of Tempelhof-Schöneberg in Berlin.