Lorenz curve

A graphic representation, developed by economist M. 0. Lorenz, of a nation's existing degree of income inequality. The vertical axis of the graph represents the percentage of the nation's total family income. The horizontal axis indicates the percentage of families that receive a specified level of income. Thus, a nation with perfect income equality would be represented by a 45-degree line, because 10 percent of the nation's families receive 10 percent of total income, and so on. The amount of deviation from that line indicates the degree of inequality.