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Intergenerational Mobility and the Growth–Inequality–Poverty Nexus in Africa

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  • Christian H Ebeke

Abstract

This paper examines to what extent intergenerational mobility shapes both the impact of income inequality on growth as well as the effect that growth has on poverty and on income inequality in Africa. Thanks to newly available and internationally comparable data on intergenerational elasticities of income and education, we confirm the detrimental role played by higher inequality of opportunity as measured by intergenerational mobility. The study concludes that neglecting to address the root causes of inequality of opportunity can be socially and economically very costly.

Suggested Citation

  • Christian H Ebeke, 2023. "Intergenerational Mobility and the Growth–Inequality–Poverty Nexus in Africa," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 32(Supplemen), pages 99-112.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jafrec:v:32:y:2023:i:supplement_2:p:ii99-ii112.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Intergenerational elasticity; inequality; growth; poverty; Africa; JEL classification: D63; O47; I32;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty

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