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Income Redistribution within the Life Cycle versus between Individuals: Empirical Evidence Using Swedish Panel Data

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  • Björklund, Anders

    (Swedish Institute for Social Research)

  • Palme, Mårten

    (Dept. of Economic Statistics, Stockholm School of Economics)

Abstract

The generalised entropy measure is applied to decompose overall income inequality over several years into one part showing inequality of long-run (permanent) income and one part showing variability of single individuals' incomes over time. By comparing these components of inequality for pre- and post-tax and benefit incomes, we get an estimate of how the welfare state affects two conceptually different components of income inequality. Using Swedish panel data covering 18 years, we find that income taxes primarily affect the distribution of long-run income. Although the main effecty of benefits is on smoothing intertemporal income variability, we also find an equalising impact on long-run income of benefits. Income variability is highest among those with low long-run income and the equalising effect of taxes and transfers within the life cycle is also largest in this group.

Suggested Citation

  • Björklund, Anders & Palme, Mårten, 1997. "Income Redistribution within the Life Cycle versus between Individuals: Empirical Evidence Using Swedish Panel Data," SSE/EFI Working Paper Series in Economics and Finance 197, Stockholm School of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:hastef:0197
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    Cited by:

    1. Paolo Pertile & Veronica Polin & Pietro Rizza & Marzia Romanelli, 2012. "Public finance consolidation and fairness across living generations: the case of Italy," Working Papers 04/2012, University of Verona, Department of Economics.
    2. Bengtsson, Niklas & Holmlund, Bertil & Waldenström, Daniel, 2012. "Lifetime versus Annual Tax Progressivity: Sweden, 1968–2009," IZA Discussion Papers 6641, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Thomas Raferzeder & Rudolf Winter-Ebmer, 2007. "Who is on the rise in Austria: Wage mobility and mobility risk," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 5(1), pages 39-51, April.
    4. Charlotte Bartels, 2012. "Redistribution and Insurance in the German Welfare State," Schmollers Jahrbuch : Journal of Applied Social Science Studies / Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, vol. 132(2), pages 265-295.
    5. Cecilia Garcia Peñalosa & Orgiazzi, E., 2011. "GINI DP 12: Factor Components of Inequality. A Cross-Country Study," GINI Discussion Papers 12, AIAS, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies.
    6. Cathal O’Donoghue, 2001. "Redistribution over the Lifetime in the Irish Tax-Benefit System - An Application of a Prototype Dynamic Microsimulation Model for Ireland," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 32(3), pages 191-216.
    7. Hansson, Åsa, 2020. "Have You Benefited from the Tax Reforms? The Distribution of Tax Payments in Sweden after Three Decades of Tax Changes," Working Paper Series 1375, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    8. Hansson, Åsa, 2020. "Have You Benefited From the Tax Reforms? The Distribution of Tax Payments in Sweden after Three Decades of Tax Changes," Working Papers 2020:25, Lund University, Department of Economics.
    9. Gustavsson, Magnus, 2002. "Earnings Dynamics and Inequality during Macroeconomic Turbulence: Sweden 1991-1999," Working Paper Series 2002:20, Uppsala University, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Generalised entropy; income inequality; income mobility; income taxes;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • H24 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies

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