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The Evolution of the Racial Wage Hierarchy in Post- Apartheid South Africa

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  • Paul Allanson
  • Jonathan Atkins

Abstract

This article develops a multilateral decomposition procedure for the analysis of wage differentials and applies this to the evolution of the racial wage hierarchy in South Africa over the period 1993-2001. We find evidence that the wage position of the majority African workforce improved relative to all other racial groups immediately following the transition to democratic rule in 1994, but that these gains have been largely eroded in the ensuing years of the post-apartheid era. We review the range of policy initiatives that have been taken by the government since 1994 in the light of our empirical findings.
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Suggested Citation

  • Paul Allanson & Jonathan Atkins, 2002. "The Evolution of the Racial Wage Hierarchy in Post- Apartheid South Africa," Dundee Discussion Papers in Economics 136, Economic Studies, University of Dundee.
    • Handle: RePEc:dun:dpaper:136
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    1. P. Allanson & J. Atkins & T. Hinks, 2000. "A Multilateral Decomposition of Racial Wage Differentials in the 1994 South African Labour Market," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(1), pages 93-120, October.
    2. Paul Allanson & Jonathan P. Atkins & Timothy Hinks, 2002. "No End to the Racial Wage Hierarchy in South Africa?," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 6(3), pages 442-459, October.
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    9. L. Human & M. J. Greenacre*, 1987. "Labour Market Discrimination in the Manufacturing Sector: The Impact of Race, Gender, Education and Age on Income," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 55(2), pages 98-106, June.
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    11. Mwabu, Germano & Schultz, T Paul, 2000. "Wage Premiums for Education and Location of South African Workers, by Gender and Race," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 48(2), pages 307-334, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Allanson, Paul, 2014. "Income stratification and the measurement of interdistributional inequality between multiple groups," SIRE Discussion Papers 2015-34, Scottish Institute for Research in Economics (SIRE).
    2. Monojit Chatterji & Sushil Mohan & Sayantan Ghosh Dastidar, 2015. "Determinants of public education expenditure: evidence from Indian states," International Journal of Education Economics and Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 6(1), pages 1-19.
    3. Timothy Hinks, 2008. "Poverty, networks and location: the determinants of job-search in South Africa," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 20(2), pages 117-131.
    4. Tymon Sloczynski, 2018. "Average Gaps and Oaxaca–Blinder Decompositions: A Cautionary Tale about Regression Estimates of Racial Differences in Labor Market Outcomes," Working Papers 127, Brandeis University, Department of Economics and International Business School.
    5. Timothy Hinks & Carola Gruen, 2007. "What is the Structure of South African Happiness Equations? Evidence from Quality of Life Surveys," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 82(2), pages 311-336, June.
    6. Erten, Bilge & Leight, Jessica & Tregenna, Fiona, 2019. "Trade liberalization and local labor market adjustment in South Africa," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 448-467.
    7. Tymon Słoczyński, 2020. "Average Gaps and Oaxaca–Blinder Decompositions: A Cautionary Tale about Regression Estimates of Racial Differences in Labor Market Outcomes," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 73(3), pages 705-729, May.
    8. Allanson, Paul, 2014. "Income stratification and the measurement of interdistributional inequality between multiple groups," 2007 Annual Meeting, July 29-August 1, 2007, Portland, Oregon TN 2015-34, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    9. repec:ilo:ilowps:377476 is not listed on IDEAS

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