IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ris/badest/0781.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Growth-Equity Nexus in Bangladesh: An Analysis of Recent Experience

Author

Listed:
  • Osmani, S R

    (Professor, Development Economics)

Abstract

Bangladesh’s transition to a higher growth trajectory since the early 1990s has been accompanied by increasing inequality of income. In particular, the gap between the richest ten per cent and the poorest forty per cent of the population has steadily widened. The present paper argues that growth acceleration and rising inequality are essentially two sides of the same coin - in the sense that the forces that have contributed to growth acceleration are also the ones that have engendered rising inequality. An important causal mechanism underlying both sides of the coin is the fact that growth of real wages has lagged behind growth in labour productivity. This has, on the one hand, reduced the real cost of labour which has contributed to growth acceleration by improving Bangladesh’s competitiveness in the world market and thereby spurring an export-oriented growth process. On the other hand, it has reduced the share of labour and raised the share of non-labour factors of production in national output, resulting in a shift in the functional distribution of income against labour. Since the poorer segment of the society depends more on labour income (wage- or self-employed) and the richer segment depends more on the returns from non-labour factors such as land and capital, the anti-labour shift in the functional distribution of income has resulted in rising inequality in personal income distribution as well. Yet another mechanism underlying the two sides of the coin is the phenomenal growth in foreign remittance which has spurred economic growth on the one hand and contributed to rising inequality on the other. Although inequality is rising because of the growth process itself, the solution does not lie in reversing the growth process or in abandoning the current sources of growth. Rather the solution lies in ensuring broad-based access to the opportunities being opened up by the growth process. One of the implications of this analysis is that a necessary precondition for linking growth with equity in Bangladesh is to ensure greater social protection and greater equality in human capital. The evidence presented in this paper show, however, that this precondition is far from being fulfilled. On the contrary, there is clear evidence that inequality in the distribution of human capital is not only high but also increasing over time, which does not portend well for the prospects of achieving equitable growth in the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Osmani, S R, 2015. "The Growth-Equity Nexus in Bangladesh: An Analysis of Recent Experience," Bangladesh Development Studies, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), vol. 38(2), pages 1-59, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:ris:badest:0781
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://bids.org.bd/uploads/publication/BDS/38/38-2/1_Growth-Equity%20Nexus%20in%20Bangladesh.pdf
    File Function: Full text
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Oded Galor & Omer Moav, 2004. "From Physical to Human Capital Accumulation: Inequality and the Process of Development," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 71(4), pages 1001-1026.
    2. Dahan, Momi & Tsiddon, Daniel, 1998. "Demographic Transition, Income Distribution, and Economic Growth," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 29-52, March.
    3. Galor, Oded & Zang, Hyoungsoo, 1997. "Fertility, income distribution, and economic growth: Theory and cross-country evidence," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 9(2), pages 197-229, May.
    4. Deininger, Klaus & Squire, Lyn, 1998. "New ways of looking at old issues: inequality and growth," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(2), pages 259-287.
    5. Christophe Ehrhart, 2009. "The effects of inequality on growth: a survey of the theoretical and empirical literature," Working Papers 107, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    6. A. B. Atkinson, 2009. "Factor shares: the principal problem of political economy?," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 25(1), pages 3-16, Spring.
    7. Ravallion, Martin, 2001. "Growth, Inequality and Poverty: Looking Beyond Averages," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(11), pages 1803-1815, November.
    8. Khan , Azizur Rahman, 2005. "Measuring Inequality and Poverty in Bangladesh: An Assessment of the Survey Data," Bangladesh Development Studies, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), vol. 31(3-4), pages 1-34, Sept-Dec.
    9. Alberto Alesina & Dani Rodrik, 1994. "Distributive Politics and Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 109(2), pages 465-490.
    10. Atkinson, A B, 1997. "Bringing Income Distribution in from the Cold," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 107(441), pages 297-321, March.
    11. Keefer, Philip & Knack, Stephen, 2002. "Polarization, Politics and Property Rights: Links between Inequality and Growth," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 111(1-2), pages 127-154, March.
    12. Robinson, Sherman, 1976. "A Note on the U Hypothesis Relating Income Inequality and Economic Development," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 66(3), pages 437-440, June.
    13. Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg & Nina Pavcnik, 2007. "Distributional Effects of Globalization in Developing Countries," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 45(1), pages 39-82, March.
    14. Nancy Birdsall & Nora Lustig & Darryl McLeod, 2011. "Declining Inequality in Latin America: Some Economics, Some Politics," Working Papers 1120, Tulane University, Department of Economics.
    15. Thomas Piketty, 1997. "The Dynamics of the Wealth Distribution and the Interest Rate with Credit Rationing," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 64(2), pages 173-189.
    16. Zhang, Xiaobo & Rashid, Shahidur & Ahmad, Kaikaus & Mueller, Valerie & Lee, Hak Lim & Lemma, Solomon & Belal, Saika & Ahmed, Akhter U., 2013. "Rising wages in Bangladesh:," IFPRI discussion papers 1249, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    17. Khuda, Barkat-e-, 2011. "Social Safety Net Programmes in Bangladesh: A Review," Bangladesh Development Studies, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), vol. 34(2), pages 87-108, June.
    18. Ahluwalia, Montek S., 1976. "Inequality, poverty and development," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 307-342, December.
    19. Birdsall, Nancy & Ross, David & Sabot, Richard, 1995. "Inequality and Growth Reconsidered: Lessons from East Asia," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 9(3), pages 477-508, September.
    20. Harrison, Ann (ed.), 2007. "Globalization and Poverty," National Bureau of Economic Research Books, University of Chicago Press, number 9780226318004.
    21. Kanbur, Ravi, 2012. "Does Kuznets Still Matter?," Working Papers 128794, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management.
    22. Ross, D. & Sabot, R. & Birdsall, N., 1995. "Inequality and Growth Reconsidered," Center for Development Economics 142, Department of Economics, Williams College.
    23. Nora Lustig & Luis F. Lopez-Calva & Eduardo Ortiz-Juarez, 2011. "The Decline in Inequality in Latin America: How Much, Since When and Why," Working Papers 1118, Tulane University, Department of Economics.
    24. Persson, Torsten & Tabellini, Guido, 1994. "Is Inequality Harmful for Growth?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 84(3), pages 600-621, June.
    25. Perotti, Roberto, 1996. "Growth, Income Distribution, and Democracy: What the Data Say," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 1(2), pages 149-187, June.
    26. Barro, Robert J, 2000. "Inequality and Growth in a Panel of Countries," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 5-32, March.
    27. Donald R. Davis & Prachi Mishra, 2007. "Stolper-Samuelson Is Dead: And Other Crimes of Both Theory and Data," NBER Chapters, in: Globalization and Poverty, pages 87-108, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    28. Savvides, Andreas & Stengos, Thanasis, 2000. "Income inequality and economic development: evidence from the threshold regression model," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 69(2), pages 207-212, November.
    29. Pedro Cunha Neves & Sandra Maria Tavares Silva, 2014. "Inequality and Growth: Uncovering the Main Conclusions from the Empirics," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(1), pages 1-21, January.
    30. World Bank, 2002. "Poverty in Bangladesh : Building on Progress," World Bank Publications - Reports 15303, The World Bank Group.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Zhang Yu & Muhammad Umer Quddoos & Syed Abdul Rehman Khan & Muhammad Munir Ahmad & Laeeq Razzak Janjua & Muhammad Sajid Amin & Abdul Haseeb, 2023. "Investigating the moderating impact of crime and corruption on the economic growth of Bangladesh: Fresh insights," International Area Studies Review, Center for International Area Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, vol. 26(2), pages 185-207, June.
    2. Sayema Haque Bidisha & Tanveer Mahmood & Mahir A. Rahman, 2021. "Earnings inequality and the changing nature of work: Evidence from Labour Force Survey data of Bangladesh," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2021-7, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Marrero, Gustavo A. & Rodríguez, Juan G., 2013. "Inequality of opportunity and growth," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 107-122.
    2. Christophe Ehrhart, 2009. "The effects of inequality on growth: a survey of the theoretical and empirical literature," Working Papers 107, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    3. Ademola Obafemi Young, 2019. "Growth Impacts of Income Inequality: Empirical Evidence From Nigeria," Research in World Economy, Research in World Economy, Sciedu Press, vol. 10(3), pages 226-262, December.
    4. Kholeka Mdingi & Sin-Yu Ho, 2023. "Income inequality and economic growth: An empirical investigation in South Africa," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(2), pages 2230027-223, June.
    5. Oded, Galor, 2011. "Inequality, Human Capital Formation, and the Process of Development," Handbook of the Economics of Education, in: Erik Hanushek & Stephen Machin & Ludger Woessmann (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Education, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 0, pages 441-493, Elsevier.
    6. Adalgiso Amendola & Roberto Dell�Anno, 2014. "Income inequality and economic growth: an empirical investigation in Mediterranean countries," RIEDS - Rivista Italiana di Economia, Demografia e Statistica - The Italian Journal of Economic, Demographic and Statistical Studies, SIEDS Societa' Italiana di Economia Demografia e Statistica, vol. 68(2), pages 35-58, April-Jun.
    7. Denis Cogneau & Charlotte Guénard, 2002. "Les inégalités et la croissance : une relation introuvable," Working Papers DT/2002/03, DIAL (Développement, Institutions et Mondialisation).
    8. Roberto Dell'Anno & Adalgiso Amendola, 2015. "Social Exclusion and Economic Growth: An Empirical Investigation in European Economies," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 61(2), pages 274-301, June.
    9. Blotevogel, Robert & Imamoglu, Eslem & Moriyama, Kenji & Sarr, Babacar, 2022. "Income inequality measures and economic growth channels," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    10. Attari, Muhammad Qasim & Pervaiz, Dr. Zahid & Razzaq Chaudhary, Dr. Amatul, 2017. "Impact of Agricultural Land Inequality on Human Development in Punjab (Pakistan)," MPRA Paper 89070, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Grabiella Berloffa & Maria Luigia Segnana, 2004. "Trade, inequality and pro-poor growth: Two perspectives, one message?," Department of Economics Working Papers 0408, Department of Economics, University of Trento, Italia.
    12. Adnen Ben Nasr & Mehmet Balcilar & Rangan Gupta & Seyi Saint Akadiri, 2018. "Asymmetric Effects of Inequality on Per Capita Real GDP of the United States," Working Papers 201820, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.
    13. Nobuhiro Mizuno & Katsuyuki Naito & Ryosuke Okazawa, 2017. "Inequality, extractive institutions, and growth in nondemocratic regimes," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 170(1), pages 115-142, January.
    14. Mcknight, Abigail, 2019. "Understanding the relationship between poverty, inequality and growth: a review of existing evidence," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 103458, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    15. Sangheon Lee & Megan Gerecke, 2015. "Economic development and inequality: revisiting the Kuznets curve," Chapters, in: Janine Berg (ed.), Labour Markets, Institutions and Inequality, chapter 2, pages 39-64, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    16. Stephen Knowles, 2005. "Inequality and Economic Growth: The Empirical Relationship Reconsidered in the Light of Comparable Data," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(1), pages 135-159.
    17. Veronica Amarante, 2014. "Revisiting Inequality and Growth: Evidence for Developing Countries," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(4), pages 571-589, December.
    18. Verónica Amarante & Gioia de Melo, 2004. "Crecimiento económico y desigualdad: una revisión bibliográfica," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 04-02, Instituto de Economía - IECON.
    19. Mikulas Luptacik & Bernhard Mahlberg, 2018. "Revisiting the Efficiency-Equity Trade-off: A Muli-objective Linear Problem combined with an extended Leontief Input Output Model," Department of Economic Policy Working Paper Series 016, Department of Economic Policy, Faculty of National Economy, University of Economics in Bratislava.
    20. Abigail McKnight, 2019. "Understanding the relationship between poverty, inequality and growth: a review of existing evidence," CASE Papers /216, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, LSE.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Growth-Equity Nexus; Equitable Growth; Palma Ratio; Human Capital; Social Protection;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O53 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Asia including Middle East
    • P46 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Consumer Economics; Health; Education and Training; Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ris:badest:0781. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Meftaur Rahman, Cheif Publication Officer, BIDS (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/bidssbd.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.