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Why has Income Inequality in Germany Increased From 2002 to 2011? A Behavioral Microsimulation Decomposition

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  • Robin Jessen

Abstract

This paper proposes a method to decompose changes in income inequality into the contributions of policy changes, wage rate changes, and population changes while considering labor supply reactions. Using data from the Socio‐Economic Panel (SOEP), this method is applied to decompose the increase in income inequality in Germany from 2002 to 2011, a period that saw tax reductions and a controversial overhaul of the transfer system. The simulations show that tax and transfer reforms have had an inequality‐reducing effect as measured by the mean log deviation and the Gini coefficient. For the Gini, these effects are offset by labor supply reactions. In contrast, policy changes explain part of the increase in the ratio between the 90th and the 50th income percentiles. Changes in wage rates have led to a decrease in income inequality. Thus, the increase in inequality was due to changes in the population.

Suggested Citation

  • Robin Jessen, 2019. "Why has Income Inequality in Germany Increased From 2002 to 2011? A Behavioral Microsimulation Decomposition," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 65(3), pages 540-560, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:revinw:v:65:y:2019:i:3:p:540-560
    DOI: 10.1111/roiw.12397
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    Cited by:

    1. Nicolas Hérault & Guyonne Kalb, 2022. "Understanding the rising trend in female labour force participation," Fiscal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(4), pages 341-363, December.
    2. Paolo Brunori & Guido Neidhöfer, 2021. "The Evolution of Inequality of Opportunity in Germany: A Machine Learning Approach," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 67(4), pages 900-927, December.
    3. Schröder, Carsten & König, Johannes & Fedorets, Alexandra & Goebel, Jan & Grabka, Markus M. & Lüthen, Holger & Metzing, Maria & Schikora, Felicitas & Liebig, Stefan, 2020. "The economic research potentials of the German Socio-Economic Panel study," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 21(3), pages 335-371.
    4. Biewen Martin & Ungerer Martin & Löffler Max, 2019. "Why Did Income Inequality in Germany Not Increase Further After 2005?," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 20(4), pages 471-504, December.
    5. Martin Biewen & Miriam Sturm, 2022. "Why a labour market boom does not necessarily bring down inequality: putting together Germany's inequality puzzle," Fiscal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(2), pages 121-149, June.
    6. Eliana Coschignano & Robin Jessen, 2025. "The Diverging Trends of Male and Female Bottom Earnings in Germany," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 1217, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    7. Nolan, Matt, 2018. "Did tax-transfer policy change New Zealand disposable income inequality between 1988 and 2013?," Working Paper Series 20842, Victoria University of Wellington, Chair in Public Finance.
    8. Coschignano, Eliana & Jessen, Robin, 2024. "The Diverging Trends of Male and Female Bottom Earnings in Germany," IZA Discussion Papers 17567, IZA Network @ LISER.
    9. Niklas Isaak & Philipp Jäger & Robin Jessen, 2021. "Die Verteilung der Steuer- und Abgabenlast [The Distribution of the Tax and Social Security Burden]," Wirtschaftsdienst, Springer;ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 101(4), pages 284-289, April.
    10. Coschignano, Eliana & Jessen, Robin, 2024. "The diverging trends of male and female bottom incomes in Germany," Ruhr Economic Papers 1125, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    11. Leonardo Gasparini & Irene Brambilla & Andrés César & Guillermo Falcone & Carlo Lombardo, 2020. "The Risk of Automation in Argentina," CEDLAS, Working Papers 0260, CEDLAS, Universidad Nacional de La Plata.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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