More Than 70 Progressive Economists Launch Alliance to Promote Fairer Wealth Distribution

Key Points

• More than 70 progressive economists have joined Accelerating Shared Prosperity, a new initiative designed to promote a fairer distribution of wealth and ensure that economic growth improves living standards across society.
• The platform is being launched in Madrid on 13 October 2026, with support from internationally recognised economists, including Nobel laureate Daron Acemoglu, Dani Rodrik and Gabriel Zucman.
• Spanish economist Mònica Martínez-Bravo, a professor at the Center for Monetary and Financial Studies (CEMFI), has spearheaded the initiative.
• The network aims to bring scientific research into public debate and improve policymaking, with a particular focus on the material well-being of working-class people.
• Spanish cabinet ministers Pablo Bustinduy and Carlos Cuerpo are expected to participate in the official launch, although the initiative has been established independently of any institution.
• The platform comes amid growing international concern about wealth inequality, declining purchasing power among parts of the middle class and the rising cost of living.
• Its organisers want to connect Spain’s economic experience, including progress in employment and wages, with international research into inequality and shared prosperity.
• The initiative joins wider efforts to reconsider how economic progress is measured, including the United Nations-led Beyond GDP initiative and international work on wealth taxation.
• The launch programme features economists Judit Vall, Nacho Álvarez and Miguel Almunia, reflecting the range of academic and policy backgrounds represented in the network.

Madrid Journals (MJ) October 13, 2026 – More than 70 progressive economists are joining forces through a new platform, Accelerating Shared Prosperity, to promote policies that ensure economic growth benefits a wider proportion of society. The initiative brings together Spanish researchers and internationally recognised economists, including Nobel laureate Daron Acemoglu, Dani Rodrik and Gabriel Zucman. Spearheaded by Mònica Martínez-Bravo, the network aims to strengthen the role of scientific evidence in public debate and improve policies affecting workers’ material well-being. Its launch comes amid international concern over wealth inequality, the cost of living and the difficulties faced by parts of the middle class in maintaining their purchasing power.

The report follows the inverted pyramid structure, placing the central development and its immediate significance first, followed by the wider economic context and background.

What is the purpose of the Accelerating Shared Prosperity initiative?

According to Belén Carreño of EL PAÍS, which reported the initiative’s launch on 13 October 2026, Accelerating Shared Prosperity has been established to address a central question in modern economics: how can governments ensure that the benefits of economic growth reach people across different income groups rather than concentrating among those who already possess substantial wealth?

The initiative has brought together more than 70 economists and established a Scientific Council featuring prominent international figures. Its membership reflects a shared interest in improving the relationship between economic research, government policy and the living standards of ordinary people.

The organisers have stated that the platform intends to mobilise high-quality scientific evidence for public debate, with an explicit objective of improving the material well-being of the working class.

The network has been established independently of any single institution. However, the participation expected from Spanish cabinet ministers Pablo Bustinduy and Carlos Cuerpo at the official launch indicates that the initiative’s discussions will take place alongside wider political debates about economic policy.

Its immediate focus is not simply to encourage economic expansion. Instead, it seeks to improve the tools policymakers use to evaluate whether growth translates into tangible benefits for households and workers.

The initiative also aims to connect Spain’s domestic economic debate with international research into inequality, wealth distribution and the design of public policy.

Who is leading the new alliance of progressive economists?

Spanish economist Mònica Martínez-Bravo has spearheaded the formation of Accelerating Shared Prosperity.

Martínez-Bravo is a professor at the Center for Monetary and Financial Studies (CEMFI) and holds a doctorate in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She returned to academia after leaving the Catalan regional government.

Her professional background spans academic research and public administration, providing a connection between economic analysis and the practical challenges of government policymaking.

The initiative brings together economists with different areas of expertise, including academic researchers and people with experience advising political institutions. The intention is to establish a broad network capable of examining economic challenges from multiple perspectives.

The Scientific Council includes Daron Acemoglu, the Nobel Prize-winning economist known for his work on the relationship between institutions, technology and economic prosperity. It also includes Dani Rodrik, an economist whose research addresses globalisation, economic development and the choices facing governments, and Gabriel Zucman, known for research into wealth inequality and taxation.

Their involvement gives the initiative an international dimension. However, the platform’s objectives will ultimately depend on the research it develops, the proposals it advances and the extent to which policymakers engage with its findings.

The organisers have indicated that they remain open to expanding the network beyond its initial membership.

Why are economists increasingly concerned about the distribution of wealth?

The question of how economic growth affects inequality has been a subject of research for decades.

As reported by Belén Carreño in EL PAÍS, economists began examining the relationship between rapid economic expansion and unequal income distribution particularly closely during the 1960s. Researchers studying emerging economies, especially in Latin America, observed that strong growth did not necessarily result in an equitable distribution of the gains.

Economic output could increase while substantial sections of the population continued to receive a comparatively small share of the resulting prosperity.

This distinction remains important because overall economic performance and household welfare are related but separate questions.

A country can produce more goods and services, attract investment and record higher average incomes without ensuring that every income group experiences comparable improvements in living standards.

In advanced economies, concerns about this issue have increasingly focused on the distribution of income and wealth, pressure on household budgets and the position of the middle class.

When the gains from growth accrue disproportionately to high-income households, people on lower and middle incomes may find it difficult to maintain their standard of living, even when headline economic indicators appear positive.

The Accelerating Shared Prosperity initiative is being established against this background. Its organisers want economic policy to consider not only how much wealth an economy generates, but also how that wealth affects different groups within society.

Why might GDP fail to measure shared prosperity accurately?

Gross domestic product (GDP) is one of the principal measures used to assess the size and growth of an economy. GDP per capita divides total economic output by the population, providing an average measure of output per person.

Both indicators are useful for understanding broad economic trends. However, neither directly reveals how income or wealth is distributed between households.

For example, an increase in GDP per capita does not establish that wages have risen equally across the workforce. It also does not show whether housing, energy, food and other essential expenses have become more affordable for households on lower incomes.

Similarly, average income figures can conceal substantial differences between people with significant financial assets and those who depend mainly on employment income.

This creates a measurement challenge for governments seeking to understand whether economic growth is improving material well-being across the population.

The new platform’s emphasis on improving public-policy tools reflects this wider concern. Better evidence can help policymakers distinguish between increases in aggregate economic activity and improvements in household circumstances.

The question also extends beyond income. Wealth distribution, access to economic opportunities and differences between generations can affect how people experience prosperity.

The initiative’s stated objectives therefore align with a broader international effort to develop measures that capture social and economic conditions more comprehensively than traditional output indicators alone.

How does the initiative relate to international efforts to address inequality?

Accelerating Shared Prosperity is emerging as governments, researchers and international organisations examine ways to address wealth inequality.

One relevant development is the international inequality panel commissioned under South Africa’s G20 presidency and chaired by Nobel laureate Joseph E. Stiglitz. Its focus reflects the growing prominence of inequality in international economic discussions.

Proposals for taxing wealth have also attracted attention, with advocates examining whether tax systems can address the concentration of assets and help governments finance public priorities.

These debates involve questions about tax design, the distribution of economic burdens and the possible effects of policy changes on investment and economic activity. The existence of proposals does not mean that countries have adopted a common approach.

Another related effort is the United Nations-led Beyond GDP initiative. Its purpose is to develop economic indicators that better capture societal well-being and provide a broader assessment of progress.

The approach reflects recognition that conventional economic statistics cannot, by themselves, answer every question about living standards, inequality and social outcomes.

A further example is the Global Council for the New Economy for the Common Good, co-chaired by Spanish Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo and economist Mariana Mazzucato.

The council seeks to connect academic research with practical policy experience. According to the information reported by EL PAÍS, it plans to publish a roadmap in the final quarter of 2027 outlining approaches to achieving more widely shared prosperity.

These initiatives have different structures and objectives, but they share an interest in examining how economic systems can deliver benefits beyond increases in aggregate output.

Accelerating Shared Prosperity adds a network of economists focused on bringing scientific research into public discussion and connecting that work with political decision-making.

What role will Spanish economic policy play in the initiative?

Spain provides an important domestic context for the new platform.

According to the initiative’s organisers, as quoted by EL PAÍS, Spain has made notable progress in employment and wages but continues to face a substantial divide in wealth and opportunities between generations.

That assessment identifies two different dimensions of economic performance.

Employment and wages affect the resources households receive through work. Wealth, meanwhile, includes accumulated assets and can influence access to housing, financial security and opportunities to build long-term economic stability.

Improvements in employment do not automatically eliminate differences in accumulated wealth. Likewise, higher wages do not necessarily resolve affordability problems if essential living costs rise or if households face significant barriers to acquiring assets.

Generational differences are also relevant to debates about housing, savings and financial security. However, the extent and causes of these differences must be examined through evidence rather than assumed from broad economic trends.

The organisers say they want to link Spain’s national debate with international economic research while creating stronger connections between academic findings and political action.

The expected participation of ministers Pablo Bustinduy and Carlos Cuerpo in the launch brings the initiative into contact with the country’s wider policy environment. Their expected attendance should not, in itself, be interpreted as an endorsement of any specific recommendation the network may subsequently develop.

The platform’s independent structure may allow researchers to discuss policy options outside the formal boundaries of a government department or political organisation.

Whether that independence leads to practical policy changes will depend on the proposals produced and how government institutions respond to them.

Which economists are participating in the platform’s launch?

The launch programme includes economists with experience in university research and public policy.

Judit Vall is a professor of economics at the University of Barcelona. Her participation represents the academic expertise contributing to the network.

Nacho Álvarez is a professor of economics at the Autonomous University of Madrid and a former economic adviser to the left-wing political party Podemos. His background combines academic work with experience in political economic discussions.

Miguel Almunia is a professor of economics at CUNEF University, a private university in Madrid.

Their involvement illustrates the range of professional backgrounds represented in the initiative. The platform is not limited to one university or a single research institution.

The inclusion of economists with different academic and policy experiences may help the network examine how economic evidence can inform decisions about employment, taxation, income distribution and public services.

Nevertheless, the launch itself does not establish that its members agree on every policy question. Economists can share an interest in reducing inequality while differing over the most effective methods, the role of government and the likely consequences of individual measures.

The platform’s future work will therefore be important in determining how its broad objective of shared prosperity translates into specific research priorities and policy proposals.

How could the affordability crisis influence the platform’s priorities?

The cost of living has become a central concern in economic debates across Western countries.

Affordability pressures affect households through the relationship between income and the cost of essential goods and services. When necessary expenses absorb a greater proportion of disposable income, households can have less money available for savings, education, leisure or unexpected costs.

The consequences can differ substantially depending on earnings, housing circumstances, existing assets and household responsibilities.

For workers on lower incomes, limited financial reserves may leave little room to absorb higher expenses. Middle-income households can also experience pressure when their earnings do not keep pace with essential costs.

These conditions help explain why measures of aggregate growth do not necessarily provide a complete picture of economic security.

The organisers of Accelerating Shared Prosperity have described the affordability crisis as a defining challenge facing Western countries. Their stated intention is to bring international economic knowledge into the Spanish debate and connect research with political action.

That approach could create opportunities to examine the effectiveness of policies aimed at improving wages, addressing wealth concentration and strengthening household economic security.

However, the available launch report does not establish a detailed policy programme or confirm that the platform has committed to any particular tax, spending or regulatory proposal.

Its immediate contribution is the creation of a network intended to support evidence-based discussion. Any assessment of its practical influence will require attention to the research and recommendations it produces after its launch.

What challenges could the economists face in turning research into policy?

Bringing economists together is only one stage in the process of influencing public policy.

Research findings must be translated into proposals that governments can evaluate against their economic, legal and administrative circumstances. Measures intended to reduce inequality may involve trade-offs between competing priorities, and their effects can vary depending on how they are designed and implemented.

For example, policies concerning wealth taxation require decisions about which assets are covered, how assets are valued, how compliance is monitored and how the rules interact with other taxes. Such measures also need to be evaluated in relation to their intended distributional effects and their wider economic consequences.

Employment and wage policies present different questions. Policymakers must consider how changes affect workers, employers, public finances and the overall labour market.

Measurement is another challenge. If governments want to determine whether prosperity is being shared more fairly, they need reliable information on household income, wealth, living costs and other relevant indicators.

The Beyond GDP initiative and related international work illustrate the importance of developing broader ways to assess economic and social progress.

Accelerating Shared Prosperity could contribute to these discussions by bringing together researchers who study different aspects of economic inequality. Its influence, however, will depend on the quality of its evidence, the clarity of its recommendations and the willingness of decision-makers to consider them.

The platform’s independent status may support open academic debate, but independence alone cannot guarantee that its proposals will be adopted.

Background: How has shared prosperity become a major economic policy question?

The debate over shared prosperity has developed alongside a longstanding distinction between economic growth and the distribution of its benefits.

During the second half of the twentieth century, economists studying developing economies examined why periods of rapid growth did not always produce corresponding improvements in living standards across the population. Latin America featured prominently in this research.

Over time, concerns about unequal outcomes became increasingly relevant to advanced economies as well. Researchers and policymakers have examined income concentration, wealth accumulation and the economic circumstances of middle- and lower-income households.

This has encouraged wider discussion about the limitations of relying exclusively on GDP growth as a measure of national progress.

International organisations and research groups have subsequently explored alternative indicators, taxation proposals and approaches to public policy intended to assess or influence the distribution of prosperity.

The United Nations-led Beyond GDP initiative represents an effort to broaden the measurement of progress, while international work on inequality has placed wealth distribution more prominently on the policy agenda.

The Global Council for the New Economy for the Common Good is another effort to connect academic research with practical policy experience, with a roadmap on shared prosperity planned for late 2027.

Accelerating Shared Prosperity enters this existing debate with a network of more than 70 economists and a stated commitment to using scientific evidence to improve the material well-being of working-class people.

Its launch marks the establishment of the platform rather than the completion of a policy reform programme.