Fig. 1.

Trends in income inequality (mean GINI) for 7 European regions (41 countries), 1987–2008 (N = 840), the SWIID database. After 1990, UK experienced an increase of income inequality and Ireland experienced a decrease of income inequality. The line for Britain and Ireland is an average trend of these two countries. 41 European countries were included in this graph, where Cyprus and TFYR Macedonia were excluded. This is because the Gini index of Cyprus was much lower than that of other Mediterranean countries and it was available from 1990. The inclusion of Cyprus would cause a sudden decrease of the Mediterranean average Gini index at the point of 1990. Similarly, the Gini index of TFYR Macedonia was much higher than that of other Western Balkan countries and it was available from 1989. The inclusion of TFYR Macedonia would cause a sudden increase of the Western Balkan average Gini index at the point of 1989