Final answer:
Income redistribution due to public debt is generally problematic for income equality, especially during recessions. It requires carefully balanced fiscal policies to avoid exacerbating income inequality and economic disparity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Income redistribution due to the public debt is undesirable if greater income equality is one of society's goals. The issue at hand is how public debt impacts income distribution and subsequently, economic equality. This is a concern because, during a recession, increased public debt can lead to a situation where already scarce resources are further diverted from productive economic sectors that could have improved income equality. Furthermore, this debt often leads to increased taxes, which can disproportionately affect lower-income individuals.
Moreover, without careful design, fiscal policies such as progressive taxation and social welfare programs that are meant to reduce inequality might not adequately address the challenge of economic disparity exacerbated by public debt. If the goal is to bring society closer together, burden sharing is crucial, and relegating the fiscal pressure to future generations or certain social groups can exacerbate polarization.
Therefore, in the context of this question, careful consideration must be given to fiscal policies that do not adversely affect the goal of income equality during times when the national debt is a concern, and when seeking to avoid recessions or manage them effectively through automatic stabilizers and proactive fiscal measures.