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Inequality in this country — in relation to race, gender, and income — is a big campaign issue this election cycle.

But why does inequality exist, and how can societies get closer to equality? Do some people just work harder, as conservatives maintain, or are liberals right when they say the government needs to step in to level the playing field? 

For answers to these questions, we turn to Per Molander, a Swedish analyst who tackled the topic in his new book, "The Anatomy of Inequality: Its Social and Economic Origins- and Solutions."