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Capital-skill complementarity and inequality: Twenty years after

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  • Maliar, Lilia
  • Maliar, Serguei
  • Tsener, Inna

Abstract

We revisit a seminal capital-skill complementarity analysis of Krusell et al. (2000). We extended their 1963–1992 data set to include the 1992–2017 period. We find that over the recent years, the skill premium pattern changed dramatically, from a U-shaped to a monotonically increasing. However, the capital-skill complementarity framework remains remarkably successful in explaining the data. This is true even when the model is estimated using a significantly declining labor share as in Karabarbounis and Neiman (2014). We finally construct a projection for skill premium for 2017–2037, and we conclude that the inequality will continue to grow in the US economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Maliar, Lilia & Maliar, Serguei & Tsener, Inna, 2022. "Capital-skill complementarity and inequality: Twenty years after," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:220:y:2022:i:c:s0165176522003184
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2022.110844
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lilia Maliar & Serguei Maliar, 2011. "Capital–Skill Complementarity and Balanced Growth," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 78(310), pages 240-259, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Stelios Sakkas & Petros Varthalitis, 2021. "Public Debt Consolidation and its Distributional Effects," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 89(S1), pages 131-174, September.
    2. Stephen J. Turnovsky & Zinan Wang, 2022. "The Effects of Globalization on Skilled Labor, Unskilled Labor, and the Skill Premium," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 407-452, July.
    3. Castex, Gonzalo & (Stanley) Cho, Sang-Wook & Dechter, Evgenia, 2022. "The decline in capital-skill complementarity," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    4. Lee Ohanian & Musa Orak & Shihan Shen, 2023. "Revisiting Capital-Skill Complementarity, Inequality, and Labor Share," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 51, pages 479-505, December.
    5. Özlem Kina & Ctirad Slavik & Hakki Yazici, 2020. "Redistributive Capital Taxation Revisited," CESifo Working Paper Series 8627, CESifo.
    6. Balza, Lenin H. & De Los Rios, Camilo & Guerra, Alfredo & Herrera-Prada, Luis Omar & Manzano, Osmel, 2023. "Unraveling the network of extractive industries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Skill premium; Capital-skill complementarity; CES production function; Skilled and unskilled labor;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C73 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Stochastic and Dynamic Games; Evolutionary Games
    • D90 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - General
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth

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