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Inequality and welfare dynamics in the Russian Federation during 1994-2015

Author

Listed:
  • Hai-Anh H. Dang

    (Survey Unit, Development Data Group, World Bank)

  • Michael M. Lokshin

    (Survey Unit, Development Data Group, World Bank)

  • Kseniya Abanokova

    (Higher School of Economics, National Research University, Russia)

  • Maurizio Bussolo

    (ECA Chief Economist’s office, World Bank)

Abstract

Russia offers the unique example of a leading centrally planned economy swiftly transforming itself into a market-oriented economy. We offer a comprehensive study of inequality and mobility patterns for Russia, using multiple rounds of the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Surveys over the past two decades spanning this transition. We find rising income levels and decreasing inequality, with the latter being mostly caused by pro-poor growth rather than redistribution. The poorest tercile experienced a growth rate that was more than 10 times that of the richest tercile, leading to less long-term inequality than short-term inequality. We also find that switching from a part-time job to a full-time job, from a lower-skill job to a higher-skill job, or staying in the formal sector is statistically significantly associated with reduced downward mobility and increased income growth. However, a similar transition from the private sector to the public sector is negatively associated with income growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Hai-Anh H. Dang & Michael M. Lokshin & Kseniya Abanokova & Maurizio Bussolo, 2019. "Inequality and welfare dynamics in the Russian Federation during 1994-2015," Working Papers 484, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    • Handle: RePEc:inq:inqwps:ecineq2019-484
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    Cited by:

    1. Perugini, Cristiano, 2020. "Patterns and drivers of household income dynamics in Russia: The role of access to credit," BOFIT Discussion Papers 11/2020, Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies (BOFIT).
    2. Dang,Hai-Anh H. & Lokshin,Michael M. & Abanokova,Ksenia & Bussolo,Maurizio, 2018. "Inequality and Welfare Dynamics in the Russian Federation during 1994-2015," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8629, The World Bank.
    3. Vladimir Hlasny, 2022. "Household Earnings in Putin’s Russia: Distributional Changes across Socioeconomic Groups, 2000–2016," LIS Working papers 847, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    4. Dang, Hai-Anh H. & Abanokova, Kseniya & Lokshin, Michael M., 2020. "Life Satisfaction, Subjective Wealth, and Adaptation to Vulnerability in the Russian Federation during 2002-2017," GLO Discussion Paper Series 492, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    5. Svetlana V. Mareeva & Ekaterina D. Slobodenyuk, 2020. "A Society Of Unstable Well-Being: Income Mobility And Immobility In Russia," HSE Working papers WP BRP 94/SOC/2020, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    6. repec:zbw:bofitp:2020_011 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Hai-Anh H. Dang & Michael M. Lokshin & Kseniya Abanokova & Maurizio Bussolo, 2020. "Welfare Dynamics and Inequality in the Russian Federation During 1994–2015," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 32(4), pages 812-846, September.
    8. Perugini, Cristiano, 2020. "Patterns and drivers of household income dynamics in Russia : The role of access to credit," BOFIT Discussion Papers 11/2020, Bank of Finland, Institute for Economies in Transition.
    9. Bargain, Olivier & Etienne, Audrey & Melly, Blaise, 2021. "Informal pay gaps in good and bad times: Evidence from Russia," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(3), pages 693-714.
    10. T. M. Maleva & M. A. Kartseva & P. O. Kuznetsova & A. A. Salmina, 2021. "Does the Application of Alternative Methods Change the Pattern of Regional Inequality in Russia?," Regional Research of Russia, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 18-28, January.
    11. Hai-Anh H. Dang & Michael M. Lokshin & Kseniya Abanokova, 2019. "Did the Poor Adapt to Their Circumstances? Evidence from Long-run Russian Panel Data," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 39(4), pages 2258-2274.
    12. Anastasiya Lisina & Philippe Van Kerm, 2022. "Understanding Twenty Years of Inequality and Poverty Trends in Russia," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 68(S1), pages 108-130, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    welfare dynamics; poverty; inequality; pro-poor growth; panel data; household surveys; Russia.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C15 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Statistical Simulation Methods: General
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • O57 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Comparative Studies of Countries

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