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The effect of social spending on income inequality:An analysis for Latin American countries

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  • Monica Ospina

Abstract

Using a panel dataset from 1980 to 2000 this paper analyzes the determinants of income inequality in Latin American countries with special attention paid to education, health, and social security expenditures. I build on previous research by solving for the endogeneity of the social spending variables in the income inequality equation. This study undertakes 2SLS and GMM methods in order to control for the correlation of some of the regressors with the disturbance term. While government expenditure affects inequality, an increase in inequality may be related to social, economic and political changes that can also affect government expenditures. Therefore, social spending is potentially endogenous in the inequality regression and, unless this source of endogeneity is accounted for, the estimated parameters will be not consistent. Results show that social spending variables are endogenous with income inequality index. Once endogeneity is controlled for, education and health expenditures have a negative effect on income inequality, while social security expenditures have no effect on income inequality. I also find that models that do not take into account endogeneity of social spending variables overestimate the effects of education and health spending.

Suggested Citation

  • Monica Ospina, 2009. "The effect of social spending on income inequality:An analysis for Latin American countries," Documentos de Trabajo de Valor Público 10620, Universidad EAFIT.
    • Handle: RePEc:col:000122:010620
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    2. Abdulaleem Isiaka & Alexander Mihailov & Giovanni Razzi, 2022. "Distributional Effects of Public Spending and Tax Shocks in Middle-Income Countries: A Panel VAR Approach," Economics Discussion Papers em-dp2022-09, Department of Economics, University of Reading.
    3. Mursit Recepoglu, 2022. "Public Expenditures, Economic Growth and Income Inequality: Empirical Evidence from the Commonwealth of Independent States," Journal of Economic Policy Researches, Istanbul University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 9(2), pages 293-314, July.
    4. Bird, Richard M. & Zolt, Eric M., 2015. "Fiscal Contracting in Latin America," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 323-335.
    5. Deven Bansod & Geetilaxmi Mohapatra & A. K. Giri, 2017. "Fiscal Policy, Economic Growth and Income Inequality: A Case of Indian Economy," Romanian Economic Journal, Department of International Business and Economics from the Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest, vol. 20(63), pages 72-88, March.
    6. Abdulaleem Isiaka & Alexander Mihailov & Giovanni Razzi, 2022. "Reallocating Government Spending to Reduce Income Inequality: Panel Data Evidence from the Middle-Income Countries," Economics Discussion Papers em-dp2022-08, Department of Economics, University of Reading.
    7. Dagim Tadesse Bekele, 2020. "Effect of Macroeconomic, Demographic, and Governance Factors on Income Inequality of Selected sub-Saharan Africa Countries," Journal of Economic Development, Environment and People, Alliance of Central-Eastern European Universities, vol. 9(1), pages 60-70, September.
    8. Quinonez, Pablo, 2022. "Social spending and income inequality in Latin America. A panel data approach," MPRA Paper 113538, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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