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Intergenerational income mobility in Turkey

Author

Listed:
  • Nizam Melikşah Demirtaş

    (Arizona State University)

  • Orhan Torul

    (Boğaziçi University)

Abstract

In this study, we examine intergenerational income mobility in Turkey using data from the Turkish Statistical Institute’s Survey of Income and Living Conditions and the TS2SLS methodology. Our findings reveal an intergenerational earnings elasticity of 0.51 between fathers and sons and 1 between fathers and daughters. This gender disparity stems from historically low female labor force participation and self-selection of women into employment in Turkey. Our estimates for household income elasticity for both sons and daughters are similar, at around 0.8. We also observe a slight decrease in intergenerational mobility for more recent birth cohorts, consistent with trends in other countries. Our further analysis using rank-rank slopes and transition matrices indicates weak intergenerational rank mobility and strong persistence at both ends of the income distribution in Turkey.

Suggested Citation

  • Nizam Melikşah Demirtaş & Orhan Torul, 2024. "Intergenerational income mobility in Turkey," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 22(1), pages 185-209, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joecin:v:22:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1007_s10888-023-09585-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10888-023-09585-7
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social mobility; Income persistence; Income inequality; Labor earnings; Household income;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion
    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior
    • D3 - Microeconomics - - Distribution

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