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Under the Rising Wave. How Disaggregated Revenue Sources Can Tell Another Story for Québec’s Top Income Share

Author

Listed:
  • Nicolas Zorn

    (Institut du Nouveau Monde, Montréal, Québec)

  • Olivier Jacques

    (McGill University, Montréal, Québec)

Abstract

Top income investigations usually rely on types of earnings that remain at a relatively aggregated level. Using a novel disaggregated dataset for Québec’s top earners, we map the recent evolution of different types of income for the top one percent. Hidden under the steady increase of the top income share, we find that there has been very divergent and sharp rises of different revenue sources at specific moments. When looking at disaggregated data, composition effects and historical counterfactuals in Québec invalidate market-based theories like globalization and skilled biased technical change, but not institution-based theories like financialization, taxation and union strength.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicolas Zorn & Olivier Jacques, 2017. "Under the Rising Wave. How Disaggregated Revenue Sources Can Tell Another Story for Québec’s Top Income Share," Journal of Income Distribution, Ad libros publications inc., vol. 25(1), pages 1-25, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:jid:journl:y:2017:v:25:i:1:p:1-25
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution

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