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Lucas vs. Lucas: On Inequality and Growth

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  • Mr. Juan P Cordoba
  • Ms. Genevieve Verdier

Abstract

Lucas (2004) asserts that "Of the tendencies that are harmful to sound economics, the most seductive, and in my opinion the most poisonous, is to focus on questions of distribution... The potential for improving the lives of poor people by finding different ways of distributing current production is nothing compared to the apparently limitless potential of increasing production." In this paper we evaluate this claim using an extended version of Lucas' (1987) welfare-evaluation framework. Surprisingly, we find that the welfare costs of inequality outweigh the benefits of growth in most cases. These calculations support the case for a research agenda that treats not only growth but also inequality as a priority.

Suggested Citation

  • Mr. Juan P Cordoba & Ms. Genevieve Verdier, 2007. "Lucas vs. Lucas: On Inequality and Growth," IMF Working Papers 2007/017, International Monetary Fund.
    • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2007/017
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    3. Heathcote, Jonathan & Storesletten, Kjetil & Violante, Giovanni L., 2008. "Insurance and opportunities: A welfare analysis of labor market risk," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(3), pages 501-525, April.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    WP; economic growth;

    JEL classification:

    • E1 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models
    • E2 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment
    • D3 - Microeconomics - - Distribution

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