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Latin America'S Declining Skill Premium: A Macroeconomic Analysis

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  • Juan F. Guerra‐Salas

Abstract

The decline in Latin America's skill premium and income inequality during the 2000s was partly driven by an economic expansion that favored low‐skill‐intensive service sectors. Evidence shows inequality becomes countercyclical in the 2000s, and unlike previous expansions, the boom was concentrated on services while manufacturing lagged behind. I build an open economy general equilibrium model that features a low‐skill‐intensive nontradable sector. The model suggests that favorable shocks to commodity prices and international interest rate spreads, such as those that buffeted Latin America in the 2000s, account for about a fifth of the observed decline in the skill premium. (JEL D31, E32, F41, O15, O54)

Suggested Citation

  • Juan F. Guerra‐Salas, 2018. "Latin America'S Declining Skill Premium: A Macroeconomic Analysis," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 56(1), pages 620-636, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecinqu:v:56:y:2018:i:1:p:620-636
    DOI: 10.1111/ecin.12497
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • F41 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Open Economy Macroeconomics
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O54 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Latin America; Caribbean

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