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The Evolution Of Income And Fertility Inequalities Over The Course Of Economic Development: A Human Capital Perspective

Author

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  • Isaac Ehrlich

    (State University of New York at Buffalo and NBER)

  • Jinyoung Kim

    (Department of Economics, Korea University)

Abstract

Using an endogenous-growth, overlapping-generations framework where human capital is the engine of growth, we derive propositions concerning the evolution of income and fertility distributions and their interdependencies over three phases of economic development. In our model, heterogeneous families determine fertility and children’s human capital, and generations are linked through intra-family and inter-family interactions. Through simulations and regression analyses we test key implications concerning the dynamic behavior of inequalities in fertility, educational attainments, and three income inequality measures -- family-income inequality, income-group inequality, and the Gini coefficient. In this context, we also reexamine the “Kuznets hypothesis?concerning the relation between income growth and inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • Isaac Ehrlich & Jinyoung Kim, 2007. "The Evolution Of Income And Fertility Inequalities Over The Course Of Economic Development: A Human Capital Perspective," Discussion Paper Series 0704, Institute of Economic Research, Korea University.
    • Handle: RePEc:iek:wpaper:0704
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    2. Christian Morrisson & Fabrice Murtin, 2009. "The Century of Education," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 3(1), pages 1-42.
    3. Felicia Ionescu, 2011. "Risky Human Capital and Alternative Bankruptcy Regimes for Student Loans," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 5(2), pages 153-206.
    4. Gustaf Bruze, 2011. "Marriage Choices of Movie Stars: Does Spouse's Education Matter?," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 5(1), pages 1-28.
    5. Roxana Idu, 2019. "Source Country Economic Development and Dynamics of the Skill Composition of Emigration," Economies, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-18, March.
    6. Arsham Reisinezhad, 2018. "Economic Growth and Income Inequality in Resource Countries: Theory and Evidence," Working Papers halshs-01707976, HAL.
    7. Isaac Ehrlich & Yun Pei, 2020. "Human Capital as Engine of Growth: The Role of Knowledge Transfers in Promoting Balanced Growth within and across Countries," Asian Development Review, MIT Press, vol. 37(2), pages 225-263, September.
    8. Jonathan Guryan, 2009. "The Race between Education and Technology: A Review Article," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 3(2), pages 177-196.
    9. Nathan D. Grawe, 2010. "Primary and Secondary School Quality and Intergenerational Earnings Mobility," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 4(4), pages 331-364.
    10. Isaac Ehrlich & Jinyoung Kim, 2015. "Immigration, Human Capital Formation, and Endogenous Economic Growth," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 9(4), pages 518-563.
    11. G. C. Lim & Paul D. McNelis, 2014. "Income Inequality, Trade and Financial Openness," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2014n07, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    12. Theodore R. Breton, 2015. "Higher Test Scores or More Schooling? Another Look at the Causes of Economic Growth," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 9(2), pages 239-263.
    13. Isaac Ehrlich, 2009. "The Mystery of Human Capital as Engine of Growth, or Why the US Became the Economic Superpower in the 20th Century," Ensayos Económicos, Central Bank of Argentina, Economic Research Department, vol. 1(56), pages 41-93, October -.
    14. Matthew Collin & David N. Weil, 2020. "The Effect of Increasing Human Capital Investment on Economic Growth and Poverty: A Simulation Exercise," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 14(1), pages 43-83.
    15. Turnovsky, Stephen J., 2015. "Economic growth and inequality: The role of public investment," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 204-221.
    16. Stephen J. Turnovsky, 2011. "The Accumulation of Human Capital and Income Inequality in a Two-Sector Economy," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 5(4), pages 418-452.
    17. Cook, Adam & Ehrlich, Isaac, 2018. "Was Higher Education a Major Channel through which the United States Became an Economic Superpower in the 20th Century?," ADBI Working Papers 820, Asian Development Bank Institute.
    18. Adam Cook & Isaac Ehrlich, 2018. "Was higher education a major channel through which the US became an economic superpower in the 20th century?," Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(4), pages 515-553, October.
    19. Konstantinos Angelopoulos & James Malley & Apostolis Philippopoulos, 2017. "Human Capital Accumulation and Transition to Skilled Employment," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 11(1), pages 72-105.
    20. Baris Kaymak, 2009. "Ability Bias and the Rising Education Premium in the United States: A Cohort-Based Analysis," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 3(3), pages 224-267.
    21. Todd Schoellman, 2010. "The Occupations and Human Capital of U.S. Immigrants," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 4(1), pages 1-34.
    22. Joyce J. Chen, 2015. "The Impact of Skill-Based Immigration Restrictions: The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 9(3), pages 298-328.
    23. Kevin M. Murphy & Curtis Simon & Robert Tamura, 2008. "Fertility Decline, Baby Boom, and Economic Growth," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 2(3), pages 262-302.
    24. Stephen J. Turnovsky, 2013. "The relationship between economic growth and inequality," New Zealand Economic Papers, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(2), pages 113-139, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    income inequality; human capital; fertility; schooling; family; endogenous growth;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior
    • D3 - Microeconomics - - Distribution
    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • J2 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor

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