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A closer look at the long-term patterns of regional income inequality in Spain: The poor stay poor (and stay together)

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel A. Tirado Fabregat

    (Dpto. Análisis Económico)

  • Alfonso Díez-Minguela

    (Dpto. Análisis Económico)

  • Julio Martínez-Galarraga

    (Dpto. Análisis Económico)

Abstract

Using a novel dataset, this paper explores the evolution of regional income inequality in Spain, 1860-2010. We follow the growth literature and use spatial exploratory tools to analyse modality, mobility and spatial clustering. We find two clearly distinguishable periods. First, there was an upswing in regional inequality accompanied by a certain mobility between 1860 and 1930. This was followed by a period of regional convergence, in which mobility was rather low. In parallel to this, a geographical concentration of the richest and poorest regions took place, with wealthy Spain located in the north-east and poor Spain in the south. In the last decades convergence has come to a halt, mobility is quasi-non-existent and spatial polarization has tended to increase. A partir de recientes estimaciones históricas de PIB provincial, este trabajo explora la evolución de la desigualdad regional en España entre 1860 y 2010. Siguiendo a la literatura de crecimiento económico, se presentan diversos indicadores para analizar la modalidad, la movilidad y la aglomeración espacial de las provincias españolas. Nuestros resultados muestran la existencia de dos períodos claramente diferenciados. En primer lugar, entre 1860 y 1930 la desigualdad regional aumentó y este aumento se vio acompañado de una cierta movilidad en el ranking provincial. A partir de entonces se dio un proceso de convergencia, en el que la movilidad fue bastante reducida, y donde además se produjo una creciente concentración geográfica de las provincias más ricas y más pobres, situándose las primeras en el noreste peninsular y las segundas en el sur. En las últimas décadas el proceso de convergencia se ha detenido, la movilidad es prácticamente inexistente y la polarización espacial ha continuado aumentando.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel A. Tirado Fabregat & Alfonso Díez-Minguela & Julio Martínez-Galarraga, 2015. "A closer look at the long-term patterns of regional income inequality in Spain: The poor stay poor (and stay together)," Working Papers. Serie EC 2015-05, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Económicas, S.A. (Ivie).
  • Handle: RePEc:ivi:wpasec:2015-05
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Chiara Mussida & Maria Laura Parisi, 2016. "The effect of economic crisis on regional income inequality in Italy," DISCE - Quaderni del Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche e Sociali dises1614, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Desigualdad regional; España; crecimiento regional; historia económica Regional inequality; Spain; Regional growth; Economic history;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • R0 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General
    • N9 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History
    • N64 - Economic History - - Manufacturing and Construction - - - Europe: 1913-
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade

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