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Global Inequality: Beyond the Bottom Billion – A Rapid Review of Income Distribution in 141 Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Isabel Ortiz
  • Matthew Cummins

    (Division of Policy and Practice,UNICEF)

Abstract

This working paper: (i) provides an overview of global, regional and national income inequalities based on the latest distribution data from the World Bank, UNU-WIDER and Eurostat; (ii) discusses the negative implications of rising income inequality for development; (iii) calls for placing equity at the center of development in the context of the United Nations development agenda; (iv) describes the likelihood of inequalities being exacerbated during the global economic crisis; (v) advocates for urgent policy changes at national and international levels to ensure a “Recovery for All”; and, (vi) to serve as a general reference source, Annex 2 provides a summary of the most up-to-date income distribution and inequality data for 141 countries

Suggested Citation

  • Isabel Ortiz & Matthew Cummins, 2011. "Global Inequality: Beyond the Bottom Billion – A Rapid Review of Income Distribution in 141 Countries," Working papers 1102, UNICEF,Division of Policy and Strategy.
    • Handle: RePEc:uce:wpaper:1102
    as

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    File URL: http://www.unicef.org/socialpolicy/files/Global_Inequality_REVISED_-_5_July.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sanjay Reddy & Camelia Minoiu, 2009. "Real Income Stagnation of Countries 1960-2001," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(1), pages 1-23.
    2. Aditya Bhattacharjea, 2003. "Book Review: Kicking away the Ladder: Development Strategy in Historical Perspective," Indian Economic Review, Department of Economics, Delhi School of Economics, vol. 38(1), pages 126-129, January.
    3. Cornia, Giovanni Andrea., 2003. "The impact of liberalization and globalization on income inequality in developing and transitional economies," ILO Working Papers 993650563402676, International Labour Organization.
    4. Andrew Mold, 2003. "Kicking away the ladder: development strategy in historical perspective by HA-JOON CHANG. (London: Anthem Press, 2002, pp. 187)," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 15(5), pages 668-670.
    5. Machin, Stephen & Van Reenen, John, 2007. "Changes in wage inequality," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 4667, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    6. Isabel Ortiz & Jingqing Chai & Matthew Cummins, 2011. "Escalating Food Prices: The threat to poor households and policies to safeguard a Recovery for All," Working papers 1101, UNICEF,Division of Policy and Strategy.
    7. Hulya Dagdeviren & Rolph van der Hoeven & John Weeks, 2000. "Redistribution Matters: Growth for Poverty Reduction," Working Papers 99, Department of Economics, SOAS, University of London, UK.
    8. Cornia, Giovanni Andrea, 2010. "Transition, Structural Divergence,and Performance: Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union over 2000-2007," WIDER Working Paper Series 032, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    9. DAVIES, JAMES B & Shorrocks, Anthony & Sandstrom, Susanna & WOLFF, EDWARD N, 2007. "The World Distribution of Household Wealth," Center for Global, International and Regional Studies, Working Paper Series qt3jv048hx, Center for Global, International and Regional Studies, UC Santa Cruz.
    10. Kanbur, Ravi & Lustig, Nora, 1999. "Why is Inequality Back on the Agenda?," Working Papers 127690, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management.
    11. Isabel Ortiz, 2007. "Social Policy," Policy Notes 6, United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs.
    12. Giovanni Andrea Cornia, 2005. "Policy Reform and Income Distribution," Working Papers 3, United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs.
    13. Ronald Mendoza, 2009. "Aggregate Shocks, Poor Household and Children: Transmission Channels and Policy Responses," Working papers 0901, UNICEF,Division of Policy and Strategy.
    14. Cornia, Giovanni Andrea., 2003. "The impact of liberalization and globalization on income inequality in developing and transitional economies," ILO Working Papers 993650563402676, International Labour Organization.
    15. International Monetary Fund, 2002. "Financial Crises, Poverty, and Income Distribution," IMF Working Papers 2002/004, International Monetary Fund.
    16. Steve Dowrick & Muhammad Akmal, 2005. "Contradictory Trends In Global Income Inequality: A Tale Of Two Biases," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 51(2), pages 201-229, June.
    17. Giovanni Andrea Cornia & Bruno Martorano, 2010. "Policies for Reducing Income Inequality: Latin America During the Last Decade," Working papers 1006, UNICEF,Division of Policy and Strategy.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    income inequality; income distribution; quintiles; equity; crisis recovery; development policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D6 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • D3 - Microeconomics - - Distribution
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development
    • O2 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy

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