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World Income Distribution: Which Way?

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Author Info
Svedberg, Peter () (Institute for International Economic Studies, Stockholm University)
Abstract

Over the past few years, a large number of studies have aimed at estimating changes in relative income distribution across countries and globally. Some of the studies find the distribution to have worsened considerably, others that it has become more even. One objective of this article is to identify and quantify the reasons for these conflicting results. Another objective is to highlight the difference between changes in relative and absolute income distribution. While the relative distribution over the entire range of countries seems to have improved somewhat over the past 2-3 decades according to the most relevant indicators, the absolute income gaps between rich and poor countries have widened considerably. It is further demonstrated that these gaps will inevitably continue to grow for many decades to come.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Stockholm University, Institute for International Economic Studies in its series Seminar Papers with number 724.

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Length: 57 pages
Date of creation: 04 Aug 2003
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:hhs:iiessp:0724

Note: forthcoming in Journal of Development Studies
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Postal: Institute for International Economic Studies, Stockholm University, S-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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Related research
Keywords: income distribution growth measurements developing countries population

Find related papers by JEL classification:
D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends and Forecasts
O15 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
O47 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Measurement of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence

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