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A Panel Analysis of Income Inequality and Energy Use

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  • Robert, Sonora

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between energy consumption and income inequality in an unbalanced panel of 147 countries over the period 1990 - 2014. Using a variety of panel and dynamic panel methods and controlling for other determinants of inequality, such as education, health, investment, etc., I find a large and strong negative relationship between access to energy and income inequality. Moreover, I demonstrate that greater access reduces the share of income enjoyed by the top 20% and increases the share for the bottom 20%. Results are less robust when the sample is divided into regions and economic 'blocs', but the overall results are unchanged.

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  • Robert, Sonora, 2018. "A Panel Analysis of Income Inequality and Energy Use," MPRA Paper 92171, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:92171
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Income Inequality; Growth; Energy; Dynamic Panel;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E02 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General - - - Institutions and the Macroeconomy
    • O43 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Institutions and Growth
    • O50 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - General
    • Q43 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Energy and the Macroeconomy

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