IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/pru/wpaper/22.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Inequality in Latin America: Processes and Inputs

Author

Listed:
  • Patricia Justino

    (Poverty Research Unit at Sussex, Department of Economics, University of Sussex)

  • Arnab Acharya

    (Institute of Development Studies, Universtity of Sussex)

Abstract

This paper analyses the multidimensional aspects of inequality. The paper discusses the concept of inequality along three types of processes – economic (income, employment and access to physical assets), social (access to health, education and social security) and political (access to political power and to legal institutions) -, and three different dimensions – regional, rural/urban and across population groups (different gender, different ethnicity and different race). The paper examines in detail the determinants of those types and dimensions of inequality and provides a conceptual framework for explaining the incidence and persistence of inequalities in Latin America at the levels described above. This framework is illustrated in two case studies: Brazil and Peru. The paper shows how inequalities can arise from unequal distribution systems, the existence of different opportunities and choices for different population groups and forms of discrimination. It is thus argued that an effective reduction of economic, social and political inequalities in Latin America can only be achieved via the implementation of a three-tier system of policies that would include (i) the establishment of progressive tax systems, (ii) the promotion of equal opportunities and (iii) the reduction of discrimination in all areas of society.

Suggested Citation

  • Patricia Justino & Arnab Acharya, 2003. "Inequality in Latin America: Processes and Inputs," PRUS Working Papers 22, Poverty Research Unit at Sussex, University of Sussex.
  • Handle: RePEc:pru:wpaper:22
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/Units/PRU/wps/wp22.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. George A. Akerlof & Rachel E. Kranton, 2000. "Economics and Identity," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 115(3), pages 715-753.
    2. Hirschman,Albert O., 1981. "Essays in Trespassing," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521282437, October.
    3. Dahan, Momi & Gaviria, Alejandro, 1999. "Sibling Correlations and Social Mobility in Latin America," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 1301, Inter-American Development Bank.
    4. Carlos A. Azzoni & Naercio Menezes-Filho & Tatiana de Menezes & Raúl Silveira-Neto, 2000. "Geography and Income Convergence among Brazilian States," Research Department Publications 3096, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
    5. Jere R. Behrman & Alejandro Gaviria & Miguel Székely, 2002. "Social Exclusion in Latin America: Introduction and Overview," Research Department Publications 3141, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
    6. Barr, Nicholas, 1992. "Economic Theory and the Welfare State: A Survey and Interpretation," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 30(2), pages 741-803, June.
    7. A.B. Atkinson & John Hills, 1998. "Exclusion, Employment and Opportunity," CASE Papers 004, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, LSE.
    8. James J. Heckman & V. Joseph Hotz, 1986. "An Investigation of the Labor Market Earnings of Panamanian Males Evaluating the Sources of Inequality," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 21(4), pages 507-542.
    9. A.B. Atkinson & John Hills, 1998. "Exclusion, Employment and Opportunity," CASE Papers case04, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, LSE.
    10. Barr, Nicholas, 1992. "Economic theory and the welfare state : a survey and interpretation," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 279, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    11. Denisard C. O. Alves & Christopher D. Timmins, 2001. "Social Exclusion And the Two-Tiered Healthcare System of Brazil," Anais do XXIX Encontro Nacional de Economia [Proceedings of the 29th Brazilian Economics Meeting] 072, ANPEC - Associação Nacional dos Centros de Pós-Graduação em Economia [Brazilian Association of Graduate Programs in Economics].
    12. Chu, K.-y. & Davoodi, H. & Gupta, S., 2000. "Income Distribution and Tax, and Government Social Spending Policies in Developing Countries," Research Paper 214, World Institute for Development Economics Research.
    13. Behrman, Jere R & Wolfe, Barbara L, 1984. "The Socioeconomic Impact of Schooling in a Developing Country," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 66(2), pages 296-303, May.
    14. Ke-Young Chu & Hamid Davoodi & Sanjeev Gupta, 2000. "Income Distribution and Tax, and Government Social Spending Policies in Developing Countries," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2000-214, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    15. Roland Benabou, 1993. "Workings of a City: Location, Education, and Production," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 108(3), pages 619-652.
    16. Chang, Ha-Joon & Rowthorn, Robert (ed.), 1995. "The Role of the State in Economic Change," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198289845.
    17. Ahmad, Ehtisham, 1991. "Social Security and the Poor: Choices for Developing Countries," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank Group, vol. 6(1), pages 105-127, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Patricia Justino & Julie Litchfield & Laurence Whitehead, 2003. "The Impact of Inequality in Latin America," PRUS Working Papers 21, Poverty Research Unit at Sussex, University of Sussex.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ray, Jhilam & Majumder, Rajarshi, 2013. "Structural Change or Social Fluidity? Examining Intergenerational Mobility in Education in India," MPRA Paper 54516, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Patricio S. Dalton & Sayantan Ghosal & Anandi Mani, 2016. "Poverty and Aspirations Failure," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 126(590), pages 165-188, February.
    3. Yamamura, Eiji, 2009. "Socio-economic status, gender, and spouse’s earnings: affect of family background on matching," MPRA Paper 17100, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Arnim Langer and Frances Stewart (QEH), "undated". "Macro Adjustment Policies and Horizontal Inequalities," QEH Working Papers qehwps158, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford.
    5. Teraji, Shinji, 2011. "An economic analysis of social exclusion and inequality," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 40(3), pages 217-223, May.
    6. Deepak Lal, 1994. "Labor Market Insurance and Social Safety Nets in Developing Countries," UCLA Economics Working Papers 716, UCLA Department of Economics.
    7. Butter, Frank A.G. den & Kock, Udo, 2001. "Social security, economic growth and poverty : theoretical considerations and guidelines for institutional arrangements," Serie Research Memoranda 0002, VU University Amsterdam, Faculty of Economics, Business Administration and Econometrics.
    8. Patricia Justino, 2007. "Social security in developing countries: MYTH or necessity? Evidence from India," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 19(3), pages 367-382.
    9. Rojas, Mariano, 2011. "Poverty and psychological distress in Latin America," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 206-217, March.
    10. Mark Kleinman, 1998. "Include Me Out? The New Politics of Place and Poverty (published in "Policy Studies", 21:1, April 2000)," CASE Papers case11, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, LSE.
    11. Herwig Immervoll & Horacio Levy & José Ricardo Nogueira & Cathal O´Donoghue & Rozane Bezerra de Siqueira, 2005. "The Impact of Brazil´s Tax-Benefit System on Inequality and Poverty," Ibero America Institute for Econ. Research (IAI) Discussion Papers 117, Ibero-America Institute for Economic Research.
    12. Didier Blanchet, 1996. "La référence assurantielle en matière de protection sociale : apports et limites," Économie et Statistique, Programme National Persée, vol. 291(1), pages 33-45.
    13. Marina Dodlova & Anna Gioblas, 2017. "Regime type, inequality, and redistributive transfers in developing countries," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2017-30, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    14. Mariano Bosch Mossi & Patricio Aroca & Ismael J. FernáNDEZ & Carlos Roberto Azzoni, 2003. "Growth Dynamics and Space in Brazil," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 26(3), pages 393-418, July.
    15. Fatma El-Hamidi, 2006. "General or Vocational Schooling? Evidence on School Choice, Returns, and 'Sheepskin' Effects from Egypt 1998," Journal of Economic Policy Reform, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(2), pages 157-176.
    16. Tania Burchardt & Julian Le Grand, 2002. "Constraint and Opportunity: Identifying Voluntary Non-Employment," CASE Papers case55, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, LSE.
    17. Kuhn, Andreas, 2011. "In the eye of the beholder: Subjective inequality measures and individuals' assessment of market justice," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 625-641.
    18. Maite Blázquez Cuesta & Santiago Budría, 2014. "Deprivation and Subjective Well-Being: Evidence from Panel Data," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 60(4), pages 655-682, December.
    19. Patricia Justino & Julie Litchfield & Laurence Whitehead, 2003. "The Impact of Inequality in Latin America," PRUS Working Papers 21, Poverty Research Unit at Sussex, University of Sussex.
    20. Kalle Hirvonen & Giulia Mascagni & Keetie Roelen, 2018. "Linking taxation and social protection: Evidence on redistribution and poverty reduction in Ethiopia," International Social Security Review, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 71(1), pages 3-24, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pru:wpaper:22. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Alvaro Herrera (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ecspvuk.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.