Inequality is appreciated only through a relevant measure, traditionally the Gini index, but this one presents a weakness that prevents to consider it as valid: to a same Gini may correspond many distributions. For the most simple case, a concentration curve with two linear segments, a criterion is proposed, based on the maximin: beside curves with same Gini, the more egalitarian is those in which each poor has the higher revenue. However, this does not allow to decide for two curves with different Gini: two indeterminate zones appear. This is extended to curves with three linear segments and two kinks. Keywords : Gini; maximin; Lorenz; concentration; inequality
Download Info
To download:
If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the
proper application to
view it first. Information about this may be contained
in the File-Format links below. In case of further problems read
the IDEAS help
page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS
site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
Length: 14 pages Date of creation: Mar 1999 Date of revision: Handle: RePEc:lat:lateco:1999-02
Contact details of provider: Postal: Pôle d'Economie et de Gestion - 2, bd Gabriel - BP 26611 - F-21066 Dijon cedex - France Phone: 03 80 39 54 30 Fax: 33 (0)3 80 39 54 43 Email: Web page: http://www.u-bourgogne.fr/LEG More information through EDIRC
For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its listing, contact: (Anne-Marie Piketty).
Related research
Keywords:
Find related papers by JEL classification: C43 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Index Numbers and Aggregation D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty