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Equity-regarding poverty measures: Differences in needs and the role of equivalence scales

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  • Udo Ebert

Abstract

The paper investigates the definition of equity-regarding poverty measures when there are different household types in the population. It derives the implications of a between-type regressive transfer principle for poverty measures, for the choice of poverty lines and for the measurement of living standard. The role of equivalence scales which are popular in empirical work on poverty measurement is clarified.

Suggested Citation

  • Udo Ebert, 2008. "Equity-regarding poverty measures: Differences in needs and the role of equivalence scales," LIS Working papers 508, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    • Handle: RePEc:lis:liswps:508
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    14. Ooghe, Erwin & Lambert, Peter, 2006. "On bounded dominance criteria," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 15-30, July.
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    18. Hammond, Peter J., 1977. "Dual interpersonal comparisons of utility and the welfare economics of income distribution," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 7(1), pages 51-71, February.
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    20. Udo Ebert, 2000. "Equivalizing Incomes: A Normative Approach," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 7(6), pages 619-640, December.
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    23. Udo Ebert, 2007. "Ethical inequality measures and the redistribution of income when needs differ," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 5(3), pages 263-278, December.
    24. Keen, Michael, 1992. "Needs and Targeting," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 102(410), pages 67-79, January.
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    26. Ross Finnie & Arthur Sweetman, 2003. "Poverty dynamics: empirical evidence for Canada," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 36(2), pages 291-325, May.
    27. Donaldson, David & Pendakur, Krishna, 2004. "Equivalent-expenditure functions and expenditure-dependent equivalence scales," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(1-2), pages 175-208, January.
    28. Buhong Zheng, 2000. "Poverty Orderings," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(4), pages 427-466, September.
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    30. Udo Ebert, 2008. "Living Standard, Social Welfare, and the Redistribution of Income in a Heterogeneous Population," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 10(5), pages 873-889, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Udo Ebert, 2011. "The redistribution of income when needs differ," Working Papers V-331-11, University of Oldenburg, Department of Economics, revised Feb 2011.
    2. repec:old:wpaper:331 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. repec:zbw:hohpro:331 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Elisabetta Santarelli, "undated". "A review of the literature on subjective poverty in Europe: a focus on data sources," Working Papers 118/13, Sapienza University of Rome, Metodi e Modelli per l'Economia, il Territorio e la Finanza MEMOTEF.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Poverty measures; differences in needs; principle of transfers; equivalence scales;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty

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