IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/ecorec/v69y1993i1p61-76.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Aspects of Australian and US Living Standards: The Disappointing Decades 1970–1990

Author

Listed:
  • R.G. GREGORY

Abstract

One theme documents the parallel US and Australian histories of real wages, employment and unemployment since 1950 and notes the break in relativities in the mid 1970s which began with a 30 per cent Australian real wage increase relative to the US. Since then Australian real wages have remained constant, unemployment increased fourfold and the male full‐time employment‐population ratio fallen 25 per cent The other theme relates to the widening dispersion of male real wages, the large job loss from the middle of the earnings distribution and rapid employment growth at low earnings

Suggested Citation

  • R.G. Gregory, 1993. "Aspects of Australian and US Living Standards: The Disappointing Decades 1970–1990," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 69(1), pages 61-76, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecorec:v:69:y:1993:i:1:p:61-76
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-4932.1993.tb01799.x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-4932.1993.tb01799.x
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/j.1475-4932.1993.tb01799.x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sheila M Rimmer & David Bell & Russell Rimmer, 1992. "Earnings Inequality in Great Britain 1975-1990 The Role of Age," Working Papers 1992.01 EDIRC Provider-In, School of Economics, La Trobe University.
    2. Steven J. Davis, 1992. "Cross-Country Patterns of Change in Relative Wages," NBER Chapters, in: NBER Macroeconomics Annual 1992, Volume 7, pages 239-300, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. King, J E & Rimmer, R J & Rimmer, S M, 1992. "The Law of the Shrinking Middle: Inequality of Earnings in Australia 1975-1989," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 39(4), pages 391-412, November.
    4. Levy, Frank & Murnane, Richard J, 1992. "U.S. Earnings Levels and Earnings Inequality: A Review of Recent Trends and Proposed Explanations," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 30(3), pages 1333-1381, September.
    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. Ye Qiang & Kenneth W. Clements, 1999. "Ten Years of the PHD Conference in Economics and Business," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 75(3), pages 301-312, September.
    2. David Ingles, 2000. "Rationalising the Interaction of Tax and social Security: Part II: Fundamental Reform Options," CEPR Discussion Papers 424, Centre for Economic Policy Research, Research School of Economics, Australian National University.
    3. Garry F. Barrett & Thomas F. Crossley & Christopher Worswick, 2000. "Consumption and Income Inequality in Australia," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 76(233), pages 116-138, June.
    4. Robert G Gregory, 2012. "Living standards, terms of trade and foreign ownership: reflections on the Australian mining boom," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 56(2), pages 171-200, April.
    5. Frank Castles, 1999. "Decentralization and the Post-War Political Economy," CEPR Discussion Papers 399, Centre for Economic Policy Research, Research School of Economics, Australian National University.
    6. Phil Toner, 2006. "Restructuring the Australian Construction Industry and Workforce: Implications for a Sustainable Labour Supply," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 17(1), pages 171-202, September.
    7. Rod Tyers & Yixiao Zhou, 2023. "Automation and inequality with taxes and transfers," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 70(1), pages 68-100, February.
    8. Peter Dawkins, 1996. "The Distribution of Work in Australia," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 72(218), pages 272-286, September.
    9. R.G. Gregory & A.E. Daly, 1997. "Welfare and Economic Progress of Indigenous Men of Australia and the US 1980–1990," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 73(221), pages 101-119, June.
    10. Jeff Borland, 1996. "Union Effects on Earnings Dispersion in Australia, 1986–1994," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 34(2), pages 237-248, June.
    11. Michael Coelli & Jeff Borland, 2016. "Job Polarisation and Earnings Inequality in Australia," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 92(296), pages 1-27, March.
    12. Peter Dawkins & John Freebairn, 1997. "Towards Full Employment," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 30(4), pages 405-417, December.
    13. Grant Belchamber, 1996. "Disappearing Middle or Vanishing Bottom? A Comment on Gregory," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 72(218), pages 287-293, September.
    14. Kris Ivanovski & Sefa Awaworyi Churchill & John Inekwe, 2020. "Convergence in Income Inequality Across Australian States and Territories," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 148(1), pages 127-142, February.
    15. Jeff Borland, 1999. "Earnings Inequality in Australia: Changes, Causes and Consequences," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 75(2), pages 177-202, June.
    16. Longmire, Jim, 1995. "Changing Structure and Location of Australian Agriculture," 1995 Conference (39th), February 14-16, 1995, Perth, Australia 148803, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.
    17. James Vickery, 1999. "Unemployment and Skills in Australia," RBA Research Discussion Papers rdp1999-12, Reserve Bank of Australia.
    18. Jeff Borland & Roger Wilkins, 1996. "Earnings Inequality in Australia," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 72(216), pages 7-23, March.
    19. Jeff Borland, 2006. "What Can a Young Labour Economist (or Any Economist) Learn from Bob Gregory?," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 82(257), pages 122-126, June.
    20. David Black & Yi‐Ping Tseng & Roger Wilkins, 2010. "The Decline In Male Employment In Australia: A Cohort Analysis," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(3), pages 180-199, September.
    21. Michael Keating, 2003. "Earnings and Inequality," CEPR Discussion Papers 460, Centre for Economic Policy Research, Research School of Economics, Australian National University.
    22. Gary Marks & John Ainley, 1999. "School Achievement and Labour Market Outcomes," CEPR Discussion Papers 408, Centre for Economic Policy Research, Research School of Economics, Australian National University.
    23. Tom Valentine, 1993. "The Sources Of Unemployment: A Simple Econometric Analysis," Economic Papers, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 12(4), pages 1-20, December.
    24. Scott Baum, 1997. "Sydney, Australia: A Global City? Testing the Social Polarisation Thesis," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 34(11), pages 1881-1902, November.
    25. Ann Harding & Sue Richardson, 1998. "Unemployment and Income Distribution," RBA Annual Conference Volume (Discontinued), in: Guy Debelle & Jeff Borland (ed.),Unemployment and the Australian Labour Market, Reserve Bank of Australia.

    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. Robert Gregory & Francis G. Vella, 1995. "Real Wages, Employment, and Wage Dispersion in U.S. and Australian Labor Markets," NBER Chapters, in: Differences and Changes in Wage Structures, pages 205-226, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Attanasio, Orazio & Davis, Steven J, 1996. "Relative Wage Movements and the Distribution of Consumption," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 104(6), pages 1227-1262, December.
    3. Joseph Francois & Douglas R. Nelson, 2000. "Victims of Progress: Economic Integration, Specialization, and Wages for Unskilled Labor," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 00-065/2, Tinbergen Institute.
    4. Cecilia Garcia-Penalosa & Eve Caroli & Philippe Aghion, 1999. "Inequality and Economic Growth: The Perspective of the New Growth Theories," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 37(4), pages 1615-1660, December.
    5. Jeff Borland, 1996. "Earnings Inequality in Australia: Changes and Causes," Canadian International Labour Network Working Papers 05, McMaster University.
    6. Jeff Borland, 2000. "Economic Explanations of Earnings Distribution Trends in the International Literature and Application to New Zealand," Treasury Working Paper Series 00/16, New Zealand Treasury.
    7. William Levernier & Dan S. Rickman & Mark D. Partridge, 1995. "Variation in U.S. State Income Inequality: 1960-1990," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 18(3), pages 355-378, July.
    8. Nahuis, R., 1997. "On Globalisation, Trade and Wages," Research Memorandum 747, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    9. Dennis J. Snower, 1998. "Causes of changing earnings inequality," Proceedings - Economic Policy Symposium - Jackson Hole, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, pages 69-133.
    10. Gosling, Amanda & Machin, Stephen, 1995. "Trade Unions and the Dispersion of Earnings in British Establishments, 1980-90," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 57(2), pages 167-184, May.
    11. Åsa Rosén & Etienne Wasmer, 2005. "Higher Education Levels, Firms’ Outside Options and the Wage Structure," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 19(4), pages 621-654, December.
    12. Wolfson, Michael, 1997. "Divergent Inequalities - Theory and Empirical Results (Revised Edition)," Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series 1997066e, Statistics Canada, Analytical Studies Branch.
    13. Eriksson, Tor & Jantti, Markus, 1997. "The distribution of earnings in Finland 1971-1990," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 41(9), pages 1763-1779, December.
    14. Edward N. Wolff, "undated". "Skills, Computerization, and Earnings in the Postwar U.S. Economy," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_331, Levy Economics Institute.
    15. Wasmer, Etienne, 2001. "Between-group Competition in the Labor Market and the Rising Returns to Skill: US and France 1964-2000," IZA Discussion Papers 292, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    16. Wolfson, Michael, 1997. "Mesures d'inegalite divergentes : theorie et resultats empiriques (edition revisee)," Direction des études analytiques : documents de recherche 1997066f, Statistics Canada, Direction des études analytiques.
    17. Picot, Garnett & Wannell, Ted, 1997. "Une enquete experimentale canadienne visant a etablir le lien entre les pratiques au lieu de travail et la condition des employes : raisons de sa necessite et description de son fonctionnement," Direction des études analytiques : documents de recherche 1997100f, Statistics Canada, Direction des études analytiques.
    18. Picot, Garnett & Wannell, Ted, 1997. "An Experimental Canadian Survey that Links Workplace Practices and Employee Outcomes: Why it is Needed and How it Works," Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series 1997100e, Statistics Canada, Analytical Studies Branch.
    19. Richard V. Burkhauser & Shuaizhang Feng & Stephen P. Jenkins, 2009. "Using The P90/P10 Index To Measure U.S. Inequality Trends With Current Population Survey Data: A View From Inside The Census Bureau Vaults," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 55(1), pages 166-185, March.
    20. Sammartino, Frank & Weiner, David, 1997. "Recent Evidence on Taxpayers' Response to the Rate Increases in the 1990s," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association, vol. 50(3), pages 683-705, September.

    More about this item

    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:bla:ecorec:v:69:y:1993:i:1:p:61-76. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/esausea.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.