IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/sko/wpaper/bep-2016-10.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Social Transfers and Income Inequality in Bulgaria

Author

Listed:
  • Svilena Mihaylova

    (Department of Economics, University of Economics – Varna)

  • Silviya Bratoeva-Manoleva

    (Department of Economics, University of Economics – Varna)

Abstract

The paper analyzes the distributional effects of social transfers in Bulgaria in the period 2000-2014, using income inequality decomposition by factor components. The results suggest that social transfers mitigate income inequality, but this effect varies depending on the type of transfer. Pensions exert the strongest influence due to their significant share in total income, which also rises over time. Family allowances are pro-poor in nature, but because of their small share in beneficiaries’ total income, their impact on overall inequality is much weaker. “Other social benefits” have the weakest inequality-reducing effect, which is due to their higher concentration towards the richest decile and increasing share in total income.

Suggested Citation

  • Svilena Mihaylova & Silviya Bratoeva-Manoleva, 2016. "Social Transfers and Income Inequality in Bulgaria," Bulgarian Economic Papers bep-2016-10, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski - Bulgaria // Center for Economic Theories and Policies at Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski, revised Oct 2016.
    • Handle: RePEc:sko:wpaper:bep-2016-10
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.uni-sofia.bg/index.php/eng/content/download/164332/1164019/file/BEP-2016-10.pdf
    File Function: First version, 2016
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hans-Werner Sinn, 1994. "A Theory of the Welfare State," CESifo Working Paper Series 65, CESifo.
    2. Branko Milanovic, 1999. "Explaining the increase in inequality during transition," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 7(2), pages 299-341, July.
    3. Marx, Ive & Nolan, Brian & Olivera, Javier, 2014. "The Welfare State and Anti-Poverty Policy in Rich Countries," IZA Discussion Papers 8154, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Herwig Immervoll & Horacio Levy & Christine Lietz & Daniela Mantovani & Cathal O’Donoghue & Holly Sutherland & Gerlinde Verbist, 2006. "Household Incomes and Redistribution in the European Union: Quantifying the Equalizing Properties of Taxes and Benefits," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Dimitri B. Papadimitriou (ed.), The Distributional Effects of Government Spending and Taxation, chapter 5, pages 135-165, Palgrave Macmillan.
    5. International Monetary Fund, 2014. "Bulgaria: Selected Issues Paper," IMF Staff Country Reports 2014/024, International Monetary Fund.
    6. Joakim Palme & Walter Korpi, 1998. "The Paradox of Redistribution and Strategies of Equality: Welfare State Institutions, Inequality and Poverty in the Western Countries," LIS Working papers 174, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    7. V. Tsanov & P. Ivanova & S. Panteleeva & S. Bogdanov, 2013. "GINI Country Report: Growing Inequalities and their Impacts in Bulgaria," GINI Country Reports bulgaria, AIAS, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies.
    8. Mr. Jonathan David Ostry & Mr. Andrew Berg & Mr. Charalambos G Tsangarides, 2014. "Redistribution, Inequality, and Growth," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 2014/002, International Monetary Fund.
    9. Christos Koutsampelas, 2011. "Social transfers and income distribution in Cyprus," Cyprus Economic Policy Review, University of Cyprus, Economics Research Centre, vol. 5(2), pages 35-55, December.
    10. Christopher Heady & Theodore Mitrakos & Panos Tsakloglou, 2001. "The distributional impact of social transfers in the European Union: evidence from the ECHP," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 22(4), pages 547-565., December.
    11. Theodore Mitrakos, 2014. "Inequality, poverty and social welfare in Greece: distributional effects of austerity," Working Papers 174, Bank of Greece.
    12. Michael Förster & Peter Whiteford, 2009. "How much Redistribution do Welfare States Achieve? The Role of Cash Transfers and Household Taxes," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 7(03), pages 34-41, October.
    13. Niehues, Judith, 2010. "Social Spending Generosity and Income Inequality: A Dynamic Panel Approach," IZA Discussion Papers 5178, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    14. B.Y. Cheon & J.H. Chang & G.S. Shin & J.W. Kang & S.W. Lee & B.H. Kim & H. Joo, 2013. "GINI Country Report: Growing Inequalities and their Impacts in Korea," GINI Country Reports korea, AIAS, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies.
    15. Barr, Nicholas, 2004. "Economics of the Welfare State," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, edition 4, number 9780199264971.
    16. Hassan, Fareed M. A. & Peters, R. Kyle, Jr., 1995. "Social safety net and the poor during the transition : the case of Bulgaria," Policy Research Working Paper Series 1450, The World Bank.
    17. D. Koleva & Nikolay Nenovsky, 2002. "Bulgaria: socio-economic developments since 1990," Post-Print halshs-00259481, HAL.
    18. Judith Niehues, 2010. "Social Spending Generosity and Income Inequality: A Dynamic Panel Approach," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 336, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    19. Jonathan David Ostry & Andrew Berg & Charalambos G Tsangarides, 2014. "Redistribution, Inequality, and Growth," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 14/02, International Monetary Fund.
    20. Nasko Dochev & Nikolay Markov & Boyko Nikolov & Silviya Nikolova, 2011. "Inequality and Public Policy: A Country Study for Bulgaria," wiiw Balkan Observatory Working Papers 95, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    21. Graham Pyatt & Chau-nan Chen & John Fei, 1980. "The Distribution of Income by Factor Components," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 95(3), pages 451-473.
    22. Shorrocks, A F, 1982. "Inequality Decomposition by Factor Components," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(1), pages 193-211, 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. Petar Peshev & Kristina Stefanova & Ivan Bozhikin & Radostina Stamenova & Ivanina Mancheva, 2022. "Is income inequality in Bulgaria underestimated in survey data?," Economic Thought journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 3, pages 301-326.
    2. Svilena Mihaylova, 2023. "Wage Inequality in Bulgaria: Decomposition by Economic Sectors, Occupational Groups and Districts," Bulgarian Economic Papers bep-2023-05, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski - Bulgaria // Center for Economic Theories and Policies at Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski, revised Sep 2023.
    3. Stoyan Tanchev, 2021. "How the proportional income taxation increases inequality in Bulgaria," Journal of Tax Reform, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Ural Federal University, vol. 7(3), pages 244-254.

    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. Ali T. Cem Başlevent, 2014. "Social Transfers and Income Inequality in Turkey: How Informative Is the Survey of Income and Living Conditions?," Ekonomi-tek - International Economics Journal, Turkish Economic Association, vol. 3(3), pages 23-42, September.
    2. Cem Baslevent, 2016. "Social Transfers and Income Inequality in Turkey: How Important is the Gender Dimension?," Working Papers 1013, Economic Research Forum, revised Jun 2016.
    3. Tingyun Chen & Jean-Jacques Hallaert & Alexander Pitt & Haonan Qu & Maximilien Queyranne & Alaina Rhee & Anna Shabunina & Jérôme Vandenbussche & Irene Yackovlev, 2018. "Inequality and Poverty across Generations in the European Union," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 18/01, International Monetary Fund.
    4. Niehues, Judith, 2010. "Social Spending Generosity and Income Inequality: A Dynamic Panel Approach," IZA Discussion Papers 5178, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Hideki Konishi & Naomi Miyazato, 2018. "Distributive Impacts of Social Protection Systems in OECD Countries: Public-Private Mix and Hidden Welfare States," Working Papers 1804, Waseda University, Faculty of Political Science and Economics.
    6. Mónica Patricia Ospina, 2014. "El efecto del gasto social en la distribución del ingreso: un análisis para economías latinoamericanas," Revista Ciencias Estratégicas, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, December.
    7. Farhad Taghizadeh‐Hesary & Naoyuki Yoshino & Sayoko Shimizu, 2020. "The impact of monetary and tax policy on income inequality in Japan," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(10), pages 2600-2621, October.
    8. Ivica Urban, 2014. "Contributions of taxes and benefits to vertical and horizontal effects," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 42(3), pages 619-645, March.
    9. Judith Niehues, 2010. "Social Spending Generosity and Income Inequality: A Dynamic Panel Approach," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 336, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    10. Jekaterina Navickė & Romas Lazutka, 2018. "Distributional Implications of the Economic Development in the Baltics: Reconciling Micro and Macro Perspectives," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 138(1), pages 187-206, July.
    11. Uma Rani & Jaya Krishnakumar & Maurizio Bigotta, 2017. "Accounting for income inequality: empirical evidence from India," Indian Economic Review, Springer, vol. 52(1), pages 193-229, December.
    12. Quinonez, Pablo, 2022. "Social spending and income inequality in Latin America. A panel data approach," MPRA Paper 113538, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Emile Cammeraat, 2020. "The relationship between different social expenditure schemes and poverty, inequality and economic growth," International Social Security Review, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 73(2), pages 101-123, April.
    14. Ivica Urban, 2009. "Kakwani decomposition of redistributive effect: Origins, critics and upgrades," Working Papers 148, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    15. Greselin, Francesca & Zitikis, Ricardas, 2015. "Measuring economic inequality and risk: a unifying approach based on personal gambles, societal preferences and references," MPRA Paper 65892, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Djeneba Doumbia & Mr. Tidiane Kinda, 2019. "Reallocating Public Spending to Reduce Income Inequality: Can It Work?," IMF Working Papers 2019/188, International Monetary Fund.
    17. Karl-Friedrich Israel & Tim Florian Sepp & Nils Sonnenberg, 2023. "The Effects of Unconventional Monetary Policy on Stock Markets and Household Incomes in Japan," Post-Print halshs-04024219, HAL.
    18. Maggie Ka-Wai Lau & Kee-Lee Chou, 2019. "Targeting, Universalism and Child Poverty in Hong Kong," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(1), pages 255-275, February.
    19. Serhan Cevik & Carolina Correa‐Caro, 2020. "Taking down the wall: Transition and inequality," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(1), pages 238-253, February.
    20. Philipp Doerrenberg & Andreas Peichl, 2014. "The impact of redistributive policies on inequality in OECD countries," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(17), pages 2066-2086, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    social transfers; income inequality; redistribution;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:sko:wpaper:bep-2016-10. 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: Prof. Teodor Sedlarski (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/fesofbg.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.