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Inequality and the Safety Net Throughout the Income Distribution, 1929-1940

Author

Listed:
  • James J. Feigenbaum
  • Price V. Fishback
  • Keoka Grayson

Abstract

We explored two measures of inequality that described the full income distribution in cities. One measure is an income gini based on family incomes in 1929 for 33 cities and in 1933 for up to 48 cities in 1933 were spread throughout the country. We also estimated gini coefficients that made use of contract rents for renters and implicit rents for home owners for up to 955 cities throughout the country. We were able to expand to all counties when looking at a top-end inequality measure, the number of taxpayers per family. All three measures varied substantially across the country. We show the correlations between the various measures and also estimate the relationship between the measures and various relief programs developed by governments at all levels during the period.

Suggested Citation

  • James J. Feigenbaum & Price V. Fishback & Keoka Grayson, 2020. "Inequality and the Safety Net Throughout the Income Distribution, 1929-1940," NBER Working Papers 27069, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:27069
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Price V. Fishback & Jonathan Rose & Kenneth Snowden, 2013. "Introduction to "Well Worth Saving: How the New Deal Safeguarded Home Ownership"," NBER Chapters, in: Well Worth Saving: How the New Deal Safeguarded Home Ownership, pages 1-8, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Liu, Xing & Fishback, Price, 2019. "Effects of New Deal Spending and the downturns of the 1930s on private labor markets in 1939/1940," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 25-54.
    3. Fishback, Price V. & Kantor, Shawn & Wallis, John Joseph, 2003. "Can the New Deal's three Rs be rehabilitated? A program-by-program, county-by-county analysis," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 40(3), pages 278-307, July.
    4. Mark W. Frank, 2009. "Inequality And Growth In The United States: Evidence From A New State‐Level Panel Of Income Inequality Measures," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 47(1), pages 55-68, January.
    5. Price V. Fishback & Michael R. Haines & Shawn Kantor, 2007. "Births, Deaths, and New Deal Relief during the Great Depression," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 89(1), pages 1-14, February.
    6. Fishback, Price V. & Rose, Jonathan & Snowden, Kenneth, 2013. "Well Worth Saving," National Bureau of Economic Research Books, University of Chicago Press, number 9780226082448, December.
    7. Price V. Fishback & Jonathan Rose & Kenneth Snowden, 2013. "Well Worth Saving: How the New Deal Safeguarded Home Ownership," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number fish12-1, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Baoxi Li & De Xiao, 2021. "The Impact of Income Inequality on Subjective Environmental Pollution: Individual Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-26, July.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • H53 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs
    • H7 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations
    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • N31 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913

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