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Inequality Within and Between Families

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Author Info
Eytan Sheshinski
Yoram Weiss

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Abstract

Between-family differences in expenditures and output reflect the effect of simultaneous increases in children's ability on the willingness of parents to transfer resources to them. Within-family differences also reflect the attitudes of parents toward disparity among children. In this paper we characterize the conditions on parents' preferences that determine whether between-family differences exceed within-family differences. For an additive utility, within-family differences in expenditures always exceed between-family differences. This may also be true for the maximum utility function if an increase in ability reduces the marginal utility of income. Within-family differences in output (utility or income) can also exceed between-family differences. In this case, the implication for income distribution is that equality is enhanced by a higher correlation of ability between brothers.

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Paper provided by National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc in its series NBER Working Papers with number 0405.

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Date of creation: Nov 1979
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Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:0405

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Gary S. Becker & Nigel Tomes, 1976. "Child Endowments, and the Quantity and Quality of Children," NBER Working Papers 0123, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  2. Arrow, Kenneth J, 1971. "A Utilitarian Approach to the Concept of Equality in Public Expenditure," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 85(3), pages 409-15, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Griliches, Zvi, 1979. "Sibling Models and Data in Economics: Beginnings of a Survey," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 87(5), pages S37-64, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Momi Dahan & Alejandro Gaviria, 1998. "Actos de los padres y desigualdad entre hermanos," RES Working Papers 4151, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department. [Downloadable!]
  2. Momi Dahan & Alejandro Gaviria, 1998. "Parental Actions and Siblings’ Inequality," RES Working Papers 4150, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Gary S. Becker & Robert J. Barro, 1988. "A Reformulation of the Economic Theory of Fertility," NBER Working Papers 1793, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  4. Morris A. Davis & E. Michael Foster, 1999. "Intra-household allocation and the mental health of children: structural estimation analysis," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 1999-30, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.). [Downloadable!]
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