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Global Inequality When Unequal Countries Create Unequal People

Author

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  • Martin Ravallion

Abstract

Current global inequality measures assume that national-mean income does not matter to economic welfare at given household income, as measured in surveys. The paper questions that assumption on theoretical and empirical grounds and finds that prominent stylized facts about global inequality are not robust. At one extreme, theories of relative deprivation yield a nationalistic measure whereby global inequality is average within-country inequality, which is rising. Other theories and evidence point instead to an intrinsic value to living in a richer country. Then parameter values consistent with subjective wellbeing imply far higher global inequality than prevailing measures, though falling since 1990.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Ravallion, 2018. "Global Inequality When Unequal Countries Create Unequal People," Working Papers id:12779, eSocialSciences.
    • Handle: RePEc:ess:wpaper:id:12779
    Note: Institutional Papers
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    1. is not listed on IDEAS
    2. , Le Thanh Tung, 2022. "Impact of foreign direct investment on inequality in emerging economies: Does the Kuznets curve hypothesis exist?," OSF Preprints 34fmy, Center for Open Science.
    3. repec:osf:osfxxx:34fmy_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Palomino, Juan C. & Rodríguez, Juan G. & Sebastian, Raquel, 2020. "Wage inequality and poverty effects of lockdown and social distancing in Europe," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    5. Wang, Bei & Qian, Xuefeng & Li, Ying & Cao, Jia, 2024. "Pro-poor consumption effects of trade liberalization: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    6. Gregor Semieniuk & Isabella M. Weber, 2019. "Inequality in Energy Consumption : Statistical Equilibrium or a Question of Accounting Conventions?," UMASS Amherst Economics Working Papers 2019-18, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Economics.
    7. Ranjan Ray & Parvin Singh, 2019. "Income Inequality in an Era of Globalisation: The Perils of Taking a Global View," Monash Economics Working Papers 08-19, Monash University, Department of Economics.
    8. Lawrence Adu Asamoah, 2021. "Institutional Quality and Income Inequality in Developing Countries: A Dynamic Panel Threshold Analysis," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 21(2), pages 123-143, April.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D3 - Microeconomics - - Distribution
    • D6 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics
    • I3 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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