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Resource Booms, Inequality, And Poverty: The Case Of Gas In Bolivia

Author

Listed:
  • Jann Lay
  • Rainer Thiele
  • Manfred Wiebelt

Abstract

This paper addresses the question of whether the Bolivian gas boom of the 1990s has bypassed large parts of the poor population, thereby leading to increasing inequalities in an already unequal society. Using a Computable General Equilibrium model that is sequentially linked to a microsimulation model, we examine the transmission channels through which the large resource inflows related to the gas boom, both initial foreign investment in the sector and the subsequent export earnings, as well as large public transfer programs affect the distribution of income. Our focus is on labor market impacts, in particular on shifts between formal and informal employment and changes in relative factor prices. Our simulation results suggest that the gas boom induces a combination of unequalizing and equalizing forces, which tend to offset each other. As net distributional change is limited, growth generated by the boom reduces poverty despite increasing informality.

Suggested Citation

  • Jann Lay & Rainer Thiele & Manfred Wiebelt, 2008. "Resource Booms, Inequality, And Poverty: The Case Of Gas In Bolivia," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 54(3), pages 407-437, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:revinw:v:54:y:2008:i:3:p:407-437
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-4991.2008.00281.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Muhammet Rıdvan İnce & Recep TARI, 2026. "Assessing the impact of potential energy wealth on Türkiye’s non-energy sectors: a CGE model approach," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 43(1), pages 89-127, April.
    2. Joseph Marchand, 2015. "The distributional impacts of an energy boom in Western Canada," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 48(2), pages 714-735, May.
    3. Christopher Hartwell & Roman Horvath & Eva Horvathova & Olga Popova, 2022. "Natural resources and income inequality in developed countries: synthetic control method evidence," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 62(2), pages 297-338, February.
    4. Mihaela Simionescu, 2025. "Natural Resource Rents and Income/Wealth Inequality in the European Union," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-15, May.
    5. Barkhordar, Zahra A. & Saboohi, Yadollah, 2013. "Assessing alternative options for allocating oil revenue in Iran," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1207-1216.
    6. repec:aru:wpaper:201304 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Ahmed Eid & Rodrigo Aguirre, 2013. "Tendencias en desigualdad de ingreso y consumo en Bolivia: un cuento de hadas de gigantes empequeñeciendo y enanos. en crecimiento," Revista Latinoamericana de Desarrollo Economico, Carrera de Economía de la Universidad Católica Boliviana (UCB), issue 20, pages 75-110.
    8. George Adu & Franklin Amuakwa-Mensah & George Marbuah & Justice Tei Mensah, 2016. "Effect of gold mining on income distribution in Ghana," Working Papers 2016.23, FAERE - French Association of Environmental and Resource Economists.
    9. Sawadogo, Relwendé & Ouoba, Youmanli, 2024. "Do natural resources rents reduce income inequality? A finite mixture of regressions approach," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    10. Farzanegan, Mohammad Reza & Habibpour, Mohammad Mahdi, 2017. "Resource rents distribution, income inequality and poverty in Iran," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 35-42.
    11. Timilsina,Govinda R. & Dissou,Yazid & Toman, Mike & Heine,Dirk, 2021. "Carbon Tax in an Economy with Informality : A Computable General Equilibrium Analysis for Cote d’Ivoire," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9710, The World Bank.
    12. Zijie Yang & Dong Huang & Yuqing Zhao & Wenqian Wang, 2022. "A Bibliometric Review of Energy Related International Investment Based on an Evolutionary Perspective," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-21, May.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D3 - Microeconomics - - Distribution
    • O54 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Latin America; Caribbean
    • D58 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - Computable and Other Applied General Equilibrium Models
    • Q33 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation - - - Resource Booms (Dutch Disease)
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements

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