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The Kuznets curve of human capital inequality: 1870–2010

Author

Listed:
  • Christian Morrisson

    (FERDI - Fondation pour les Etudes et Recherches sur le Développement International)

  • Fabrice Murtin

    (Economics department - MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Abstract

This paper describes the long-term global trends in education inequality since 1870. Inequality in years of schooling is shown to have mechanically decreased along with the decline in the share of illiterate people. In search of a monetary equivalent of years of schooling, we turn to Mincer (1974) human capital ineq uality. Within countries, we find evidence of an inverted U-shape curve for human capital inequality over time, namely a Kuznets curve for human capital. At the global level, the world inequality in human capital has followed a similar trajectory, first increasing from 1870 to 1970, then decreasing.

Suggested Citation

  • Christian Morrisson & Fabrice Murtin, 2013. "The Kuznets curve of human capital inequality: 1870–2010," Post-Print hal-03473868, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03473868
    DOI: 10.1007/s10888-012-9227-2
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://sciencespo.hal.science/hal-03473868
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Inequality; Human Capital; Education; Kuznets Curve;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • E27 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Forecasting and Simulation: Models and Applications
    • F02 - International Economics - - General - - - International Economic Order and Integration
    • N00 - Economic History - - General - - - General
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models

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