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Social Capital And The Reproduction Of Inequality In Socially Polarized Economies

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  • Mogues, Tewodaj
  • Carter, Michael R.

Abstract

This paper explores the idea that how wealth is distributed across social groups (ethnic or language groups, gender, etc.) fundamentally affects the evolution of economic inequality. By providing microfoundations suitable for this exploration, this paper hopes to enhance our understanding of when social forces contribute to the reproduction of economic inequality, and what the relevant policy implications might be. In tackling this issue, this paper offers contributions in two domains. First, it adds a dimension to the literature on social capital. Second, it offers a modest generalization of the concepts of identity, alienation and economic polarization used by Esteban and Ray (1994). This generalization permits us to consider the multiple characteristics that shape social identity, inclusion and exclusion. It also underwrites a higher-order measure of socio-economic polarization that permits us to explore the hypothesis of Frances Stewart and others that economic inequality is most pernicious and persistent when it is socially embedded. Among other things we are able to show that holding constant the initial levels of economic polarization and inequality, increases in socio-economic polarization deepen the reproduction of economic inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • Mogues, Tewodaj & Carter, Michael R., 2004. "Social Capital And The Reproduction Of Inequality In Socially Polarized Economies," 2004 Annual meeting, August 1-4, Denver, CO 20132, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:aaea04:20132
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.20132
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Michael Carter & Peter Little & Tewodaj Mogues & Workneh Negatu, 2005. "Shocks, Sensitivity and Resilience: Tracking the Economic Impacts of Environmental Disaster on Assets in Ethiopia and Honduras," Development and Comp Systems 0511029, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Cole R. Gustafson & William E. Nganje, 2006. "Value of Social Capital to Mid‐Sized Northern Plains Farms," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 54(3), pages 421-438, September.
    3. Gustafson, Cole R., 2004. "Value Of Social Capital To Mid-Sized Northern Plains Farms," Staff Papers 23677, North Dakota State University, Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics.
    4. Fafchamps, Marcel & Gubert, Flore, 2007. "The formation of risk sharing networks," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(2), pages 326-350, July.
    5. Michael Carter & Christopher Barrett, 2006. "The economics of poverty traps and persistent poverty: An asset-based approach," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(2), pages 178-199.
    6. Nathan Fiala, 2015. "Economic Consequences of Forced Displacement," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(10), pages 1275-1293, October.
    7. Carter, Michael R. & Little, Peter D. & Mogues, Tewodaj & Negatu, Workneh, 2005. "Shocks, Sensitivity and Resilience: Tracking the Economic Impacts of Environmental Disaster on Assets in Ethiopia and Honduras," Staff Papers 12648, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics.

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