This study of the social and economic disparities in Israel spans the period from the early 1920s up to the present. An investigation into historical development is combined with a thorough analysis of causes of economic inequality and poverty. Special attention is paid to the socio-economic differences between and within the communities -- the two main Jewish groups (European and Oriental) and the Arab population. Further subjects include the examination of the impact of economic growth and structural changes on inequality; the analysis of income distribution by family types; and the influence of the working wife on family income and inequality. International comparisons and the analysis of inequality in the world show Israel in a wider perspective and lend the study a more general character. Contents: Introduction: Concepts and Measurement / The Mandatory Period / Socioeconomic Development of Income Distribution / An Historical Aspect / Factors Affecting Earning and Income Differentials / Determinants of Family Income / Poverty in Israel / Israel in the World / Income Distribution in the World