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Why might the rich be indifferent to income growth of their own countries?

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  • Milanovic, Branko

Abstract

The paper shows using empirical evidence from more than 100 countries’ household surveys, that income gains that the rich can realize through a more unequal distribution are often much larger than the realistic gains from a distribution-neutral growth. The rich are thus more likely to support policies that increase inequality than be concerned about income growth of their countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Milanovic, Branko, 2016. "Why might the rich be indifferent to income growth of their own countries?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 108-111.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:147:y:2016:i:c:p:108-111
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2016.08.027
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Roy van der Weide & Branko Milanovic, 2018. "Inequality is Bad for Growth of the Poor (but Not for That of the Rich)," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 32(3), pages 507-530.
    2. Milanovic, Branko, 2007. "Where in the world are you? Assessing the importance of circumstance and effort in a world of different mean country incomes and (almost) no migration," MPRA Paper 3420, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Anton Korinek & Johan Mistiaen & Martin Ravallion, 2006. "Survey nonresponse and the distribution of income," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 4(1), pages 33-55, April.
    4. Palma, J.G., 2011. "Homogeneous middles vs. heterogeneous tails, and the end of the ‘Inverted-U’: the share of the rich is what it's all about," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 1111, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    5. Branko Milanovic, 2015. "Global Inequality of Opportunity: How Much of Our Income Is Determined by Where We Live?," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 97(2), pages 452-460, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Income distribution; Top 1%; Inequality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D3 - Microeconomics - - Distribution
    • I3 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty

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