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When did Latin America fall behind? : evidence from long-run international inequality

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  • Prados de la Escosura, Leandro

Abstract

When did Latin America fall behind?. Has the gap between developed countries and Latin America widened over time?. This paper addresses these recurrent questions with the tools provided by the inequality literature. Long-run inter-country inequality is assessed in terms of real (purchasing power-adjusted) GDP per head and of an 'improved' human development index as an indicator of welfare for present-day OECD and Latin America. A long term rise in income inequality is observed for this sample of countries with the deepening gap between OECD and Latin America as its main determinant. Contrary to a widespread view, in terms of income, Latin America fell behind in the late twentieth century. Inequality in terms of human development declined over time, but the gap between OECD and Latin America remained largely unchanged.

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  • Prados de la Escosura, Leandro, 2004. "When did Latin America fall behind? : evidence from long-run international inequality," IFCS - Working Papers in Economic History.WH wh046604, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Instituto Figuerola.
    • Handle: RePEc:cte:whrepe:wh046604
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    1. > Economic History > Regional Economic History > Latin American Economic History

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    1. Bértola, Luis & Camou, María & Maubrigades, Silvana & Melgar, Natalia, 2008. "Human development and inequality in the 20th Century : the Mercosur countries in a comparative perspective," IFCS - Working Papers in Economic History.WH wp08-06, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Instituto Figuerola.
    2. Astorga, Pablo, 2012. "Mean reversion in long-horizon real exchange rates: Evidence from Latin America," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 1529-1550.
    3. Ame Bergés & Valpy Fitzgerald, 2005. "Endogenous Growth and Exogenous Shocks in Latin America During the Twentieth Century," Economics Series Working Papers 2005-W57, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    4. Enriqueta Camps, 2009. "Globalization and culture shaping the gender gap: A comparative analysis of urban Latin America and East Asia (1970 - 2000)," Economics Working Papers 1145, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
    5. Prados de la Escosura, Leandro, 2005. "Growth, inequality, and poverty in Latin America: historical evidence, controlled conjectures," IFCS - Working Papers in Economic History.WH wh054104, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Instituto Figuerola.
    6. Pablo Astorga & Ame R. Bergés & Valpy Fitzgerald, 2005. "Endogenous Growth and Exogenous Shocks in Latin America During the Twentieth Century," Oxford Economic and Social History Working Papers _057, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    7. Enriqueta Camps, 2013. "Market Openness and Culture as Factors that Shape the Gender Gap: a Comparative Study of Urban Latin America and East Asia (1960-2000)," Working Papers 694, Barcelona School of Economics.
    8. Astorga, Pablo, 2012. "Mean reversion in long-horizon real exchange rates: Evidence from Latin America," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 1529-1550.
    9. Astorga, Pablo, 2007. "Real exchange rates in Latin America : what does the 20th century reveal?," IFCS - Working Papers in Economic History.WH wp07-03, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Instituto Figuerola.

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