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Inflation and Factor Shares

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  • FRANCISCO ALCALA, F. ISRAEL SANCHO

Abstract

We use results from the literature on the determinants of price-cost margins to derive an equation relating labor's share of national income to the inflation rate (as well as to the output gap, the unemployment rate and the capital stock per worker). The equation is tested with a panel of 15 OECD countries. We obtain a robust positive relationship between inflation and the labor share. Our results suggest that disinflation is not distributively neutral, provide empirical support for the distinct concern about price stability shown by trade unions and employers' organizations, and help explaining the negative impact of inflation on growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Francisco Alcala, F. Israel Sancho, 2000. "Inflation and Factor Shares," UFAE and IAE Working Papers 460.00, Unitat de Fonaments de l'Anàlisi Econòmica (UAB) and Institut d'Anàlisi Econòmica (CSIC).
    • Handle: RePEc:aub:autbar:460.00
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    Cited by:

    1. Klump, Rainer & McAdam, Peter & Willman, Alpo, 2008. "Unwrapping some euro area growth puzzles: Factor substitution, productivity and unemployment," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 645-666, June.
    2. Lena Suchanek, 2009. "Labour Shares and the Role of Capital and Labour Market Imperfections," Discussion Papers 09-2, Bank of Canada.
    3. Süssmuth, Bernd & Wieschemeyer, Matthias, 2017. "Progressive tax-like effects of inflation: Fact or myth? The U.S. post-war experience," IWH Discussion Papers 33/2017, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
    4. Willman, Alpo, 2002. "Euro area production function and potential output: a supply side system approach," Working Paper Series 153, European Central Bank.
    5. McAdam, Peter & Willman, Alpo, 2004. "Production, supply and factor shares: an application to estimating German long-run supply," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 191-215, March.
    6. Wieschemeyer, Matthias & Süssmuth, Bernd, 2019. "Progressive tax-like effects of inflation: Fact or myth? The U.S. post-war experience," VfS Annual Conference 2019 (Leipzig): 30 Years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall - Democracy and Market Economy 203634, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Inflation; Functional Distribution of Income; Markups.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E25 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Aggregate Factor Income Distribution
    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation

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