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Anti-Inflation Policy Benefits the Poor: Evidence from Subjective Well-Being Data

Author

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  • Heinz Welsch

    (University of Oldenburg, Department of Economics)

  • Jan Kühling

    (University of Oldenburg, Department of Economics)

Abstract

Using subjective well-being data for more than 91,000 individuals in 30 OECD countries, 1990-2008, we study how people’s implicit aversion towards inflation varies with income and other socio-economic characteristics. While inflation aversion decreases with income, it increases with the education level. Contrary to previous findings using statedpreferencemethods, these relationships apply not only to absolute inflation aversion, but also to the aversion towards inflation relative to unemployment. These results survive several robustness checks. The differing results concerning the roles of income and education suggest that different dimensions of being disadvantaged influence the well-being effects of inflation in different ways.

Suggested Citation

  • Heinz Welsch & Jan Kühling, 2011. "Anti-Inflation Policy Benefits the Poor: Evidence from Subjective Well-Being Data," Working Papers V-343-11, University of Oldenburg, Department of Economics, revised Dec 2011.
    • Handle: RePEc:old:dpaper:343
    as

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    File URL: http://www.vwl.uni-oldenburg.de/download/DP_V-343_11.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    inflation; unemployment; poverty; social incidence; subjective well-being;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty

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