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The Role of Efficiency of Redistributive Institutions on Redistribution: An Empirical Assessment

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  • Ahmet Faruk Aysan

Abstract

In spite of both theoretical and empirical contributions to investigate the determinants of redistribution, an important gap remains in the literature, which is the effect of efficiency of redistributive institutions on redistribution. This paper is an attempt to show that the state apparatus with its redistributive institutions plays a major role in determining the size of redistribution. Redistribution is mainly approximated with social security and welfare expenditures by the governments. We utilize the indices of ‘Quality of Bureaucracy’ and ‘Control of Corruption’ from the International Country Risk Guide to quantify efficiency of redistributive institutions. When measures of ERI are incorporated into the existing empirical specifications of income inequality and redistribution, cross-sectional and panel data regressions show that ERI significantly increases redistribution. This result is robust to alternative specifications of the empirical model as well as to alternative data sets. However, we find weaker evidence for the role of income inequality on redistribution. Income inequality does not appear to be strongly significant in various specifications of the redistribution equation. Based on this evidence, this paper concludes that efficiency of redistributive institutions plays an important role in redistribution but this effect does not resolve the fiscal policy puzzle.
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  • Ahmet Faruk Aysan, 2006. "The Role of Efficiency of Redistributive Institutions on Redistribution: An Empirical Assessment," Working Papers 2006/14, Bogazici University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:bou:wpaper:2006/14
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    Cited by:

    1. Ahmet Faruk Aysan & …mer Faruk Baykal & Marie-Ange Véganzonès–Varoudakis, 2011. "The Effects of Convergence in Governance on Capital Accumulation in the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Countries," Chapters, in: Mehmet Ugur & David Sunderland (ed.), Does Economic Governance Matter?, chapter 6, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Mustapha Kamel Nabli, 2007. "Breaking the Barriers to Higher Economic Growth : Better Governance and Deeper Reforms in the Middle East and North Africa," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 6914, December.
    3. Ahmet Faruk Aysan & M-A Veganzones-Varoudakis, 2007. "How Do Political and Governance Institutions Affect Private Investment Decisions? An Application to the Middle East and North Africa," Working Papers 2007/05, Bogazici University, Department of Economics.
    4. Ahmet Faruk Aysan & Mustapha Kamel Nabli & Marie-Ange Véganzonès–Varoudakis, 2008. "The Role of Governance Institutions in Private Investment Decisions: The Case of Middle East and North Africa," Working Papers 384, Economic Research Forum, revised 01 Jan 2008.

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    JEL classification:

    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development
    • P48 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Legal Institutions; Property Rights; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Regional Studies

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