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International Convergence or Higher Inequality in Human Development?: Evidence for 1975 to 2003

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  • Farhad Noorbakhsh

Abstract

The concept of convergence is extended to the human development index. Evidence of weak absolute convergence is found over 1975-2002. The results are robust and verified by various conditional β-convergence models and also supported by the evidence of weak σ-convergence. Population weighted analyses provide support for polarization in the human development index amongst developing countries but a slight reduction in world inequality. The dynamics of regional analysis reveal a movement of sub-Saharan Africa towards the low band of human development with Asia and Latin America making progress.

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  • Farhad Noorbakhsh, 2006. "International Convergence or Higher Inequality in Human Development?: Evidence for 1975 to 2003," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2006-15, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:rp2006-15
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    Cited by:

    1. David Mayer-Foulkes, 2013. "A Cross-country Causal Panorama of Human Development and Sustainability," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(2), pages 235-251, May.
    2. Decancq, Koen & Decoster, André & Schokkaert, Erik, 2009. "The Evolution of World Inequality in Well-being," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 11-25, January.
    3. Simplice A. Asongu & Jacinta C. Nwachukwu, 2016. "Revolution empirics: predicting the Arab Spring," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 439-482, September.
    4. Asongu, Simplice, 2015. "Rational Asymmetric Development, Piketty and the Spirit of Poverty in Africa," MPRA Paper 67301, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Iulia Andreea BUCUR & Oana Ancuta STANGACIU, 2015. "The European Union Convergence In Terms Of Economic And Human Development," CES Working Papers, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 7(2), pages 256-275, August.
    6. Leandro Prados de la Escosura, 2023. "Inequality Beyond GDP: A Long View," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 69(3), pages 533-554, September.
    7. Wolff, Hendrik & Chong, Howard & Auffhammer, Maximilian, 2008. "Consequences of Data Error in Aggregate Indicators: Evidence from the Human Development Index," CUDARE Working Papers 6502, University of California, Berkeley, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
    8. Jordá , Vanesa & Trueba, Carmen & Sarabia, Jose Maria, 2014. "Análisis multidimensional de la desigualdad en el marco del desarrollo humano/Multidimensional Analysis of Inequality under the Human Development Framework," Estudios de Economia Aplicada, Estudios de Economia Aplicada, vol. 32, pages 765-788, Mayo.
    9. Wolff, Hendrik & Chong, Howard & Auffhammer, Maximilian, 2008. "Consequences of Data Error in Aggregate Indicators: Evidence from the Human Development Index," Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley, Working Paper Series qt18s0z7mj, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley.
    10. Brijesh C. Purohit, 2012. "Health Policy, Inequity and Convergence in India," Working Papers 2012-074, Madras School of Economics,Chennai,India.
    11. KONYA, Laszlo & GUISAN, Maria-Carmen, 2008. "What Does The Human Development Index Tell Us About Convergence?," Applied Econometrics and International Development, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 8(1), pages 19-40.
    12. Simplice A. Asongu & Ivo J. Leke, 2019. "External flows and inclusive human development in Sub-Saharan Africa," International Journal of Happiness and Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 5(1), pages 33-56.
    13. EL-MEFLEH, Muhannad A. & SHOTAR, Manhal M., 2008. "A Contribution To The Analysis Of The Economic Growth Of Qatar," Applied Econometrics and International Development, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 8(1), pages 147-154.
    14. Decancq, Koen & Ooghe, Erwin, 2010. "Has the world moved forward? A robust multidimensional evaluation," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 107(2), pages 266-269, May.
    15. Simplice Asongu, 2014. "African Development: Beyond Income Convergence," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 82(3), pages 334-353, September.
    16. Bienvenido Ortega & Antonio Casquero & Jesús Sanjuán, 2016. "Corruption and Convergence in Human Development: Evidence from 69 Countries During 1990–2012," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 127(2), pages 691-719, June.
    17. Simplice A. Asongu & Jacinta C. Nwachukwu, 2016. "Rational Asymmetric Development, Piketty and Poverty in Africa," European Journal of Comparative Economics, Cattaneo University (LIUC), vol. 13(2), pages 221-246, December.
    18. Asongu, Simplice A & Nwachukwu, Jacinta C., 2016. "Unjust Enrichment from Official Corruption in Africa: Theory and Model on how Lenders have benefited," MPRA Paper 75416, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Noorbakhsh, Farhad & Wang, Zhikai, 2010. "Interprovincial disparities in China since the reforms: Convergence or divergence?," SIRE Discussion Papers 2010-77, Scottish Institute for Research in Economics (SIRE).
    20. Ciprian Ionel Turturean & Ciprian Chirilă & Viorica Chirilă, 2022. "The Convergence in the Sustainability of the Economies of the European Union Countries between 2006 and 2016," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-34, August.
    21. Brijesh C. Purohit, 2015. "Health Policy, Inequity and Convergence in India," Working Papers id:7155, eSocialSciences.
    22. Wolff, Hendrik & Chong, Howard & Auffhammer, Maximilian, 2009. "Human Development Index: Are Developing Countries Misclassified? (former title: "Consequences of Data Error in Aggregate Indicators: Evidence from the Human Development Index)," 2009 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, 2009, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 49763, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    23. David Mayer-Foulkes, 2011. "A Causal Panorama of Cross-Country Human Development," DEGIT Conference Papers c016_049, DEGIT, Dynamics, Economic Growth, and International Trade.

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