The Share and Position of Minimum Income Categories of Households in the Czech Republic

There are two main particular features of poverty problems in transition economies, which demand special attention both in the fields of social policy and social research: The old regime’s relative stability and the high degree of equality with regard to income distribution have influenced people’s ways of thinking and their subjective perceptions of their social and material situations during the transition period.The changes in income distribution during the transition period have been profound and rapid. This is to a certain extent due to the unprecedented drop in real income for the majority of the population (especially as a consequence of price liberalization). This has especially affected those in the lowest income brackets. At the other end of the income distribution there has been a quick accumulation of wealth by a minority of the population in new professions. The growing importance of top management, and the processes of restitution and privatization all have contributed to increasing income inequality.