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A Reassessment of Inequality and Its Role in Poverty Reduction in Indonesia

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel Suryadarma

    (SMERU)

  • Rima Prama Artha
  • Asep Suryahadi
  • Sudarno Sumarto

Abstract

This study provides an overview of inequality in Indonesia for the period of 1984 to 2002 using several widely used measurements of inequality. Firstly, unlike previous studies, our paper uses real consumption expenditure that takes into account the high regional price disparity across regions in Indonesia. Secondly, we found that, although during the crisis all measures indicate a decrease in inequality, it actually increased for those below the poverty line. Finally, this study also provides an estimation of distribution corrected growth elasticity of poverty for Indonesia. This proves to be an important explanation for the fact that the poverty rate decreased very rapidly between 1999 and 2002 : because inequality during the peak of the economic crisis in 1999 was at its lowest level in 15 years.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Suryadarma & Rima Prama Artha & Asep Suryahadi & Sudarno Sumarto, 2005. "A Reassessment of Inequality and Its Role in Poverty Reduction in Indonesia," Development Economics Working Papers 22543, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:eab:develo:22543
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Sudishka Joshi & Tesfa Gebremedhin, 2010. "A Spatial Analysis of Poverty and Income Inequality in the Appalachian Region," Working Papers Working Paper 2010-15, Regional Research Institute, West Virginia University.
    2. repec:rri:wpaper:201015 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. World Bank, 2006. "Making the New Indonesia Work for the Poor," World Bank Publications - Reports 8172, The World Bank Group.
    4. Daniel Suryadarma & Wenefrida Dwi Widyanti & Asep Suryahadi & Sudarno Sumarto, "undated". "From Access to Income: Regional and Ethnic Inequality in Indonesia," Working Papers 356, Communications Section.
    5. Iván González Gordón & Budy P. Resosudarmo, 2019. "A sectoral growth‐income inequality nexus in Indonesia," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(1), pages 123-139, March.
    6. Indunil De Silva & Sudarno Sumarto, 2015. "Dynamics Of Growth, Poverty And Human Capital: Evidence From Indonesian Sub-National Data," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 40(2), pages 1-33, June.
    7. durongkaveroj, wannaphong, 2014. "Growth or development: experience from Latin America," MPRA Paper 54481, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 16 Mar 2014.
    8. Sumarto, Sudarno & Bazzi, Samuel, 2011. "Social Protection in Indonesia:Past Experiences and Lessons for the Future," MPRA Paper 57893, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Andy Sumner & Peter Edward, 2013. "From Low Income, High Poverty to High-Income, No Poverty? An Optimistic View of the Long-Run Evolution of Poverty in Indonesia By International Poverty Lines, 1984–2030," Working Papers in Economics and Development Studies (WoPEDS) 201310, Department of Economics, Padjadjaran University, revised Jun 2013.
    10. Sumarto, Sudarno & de Silva, Indunil, 2013. "Poverty-growth-Inequality Triangle: The Case of Indonesia," MPRA Paper 57135, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. M A B Siddique & Heru Wibowo & Yanrui Wu, 2014. "Fiscal Decentralisation and Inequality in Indonesia: 1999-2008," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 14-22, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    12. Sumarto, Sudarno & De Silva, Indunil, 2014. "Being Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise: Dynamics of Indonesian Subnational Growth and Poverty," MPRA Paper 57824, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Inequality; real consumption expenditure; regional price disparity; growth elasticity of poverty; economic crisis; Indonesia;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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