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Distributional Comparisons Using the Gini Inequality Measure

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  • John Creedy

Abstract

This article is aimed at undergraduate and graduate economics students, as well as public sector economists, who are interested in inequality measurement. It examines the use of the Gini inequality measure to compare income distributions. The implicit distributional value judgements are made explicit, via the use of a particular form of Social Welfare Function. Emphasis is given to the interpretation of changes in inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • John Creedy, 2023. "Distributional Comparisons Using the Gini Inequality Measure," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 56(4), pages 538-550, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ausecr:v:56:y:2023:i:4:p:538-550
    DOI: 10.1111/1467-8462.12534
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. S. Subramanian, 2002. "An Elementary Interpretation of the Gini Inequality Index," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 52(4), pages 375-379, June.
    2. John Creedy, 2017. "A note on inequality-preserving distributional changes," New Zealand Economic Papers, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(1), pages 86-95, January.
    3. Lerman, Robert I. & Yitzhaki, Shlomo, 1989. "Improving the accuracy of estimates of Gini coefficients," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 43-47, September.
    4. Atkinson, Anthony B., 1970. "On the measurement of inequality," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 2(3), pages 244-263, September.
    5. Aronson, J. Richard & Lambert, Peter J., 1994. "Decomposing the Gini Coefficient to Reveal the Vertical, Horizontal, and Reranking Effects of Income Taxation," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 47(2), pages 273-294, June.
    6. repec:bla:obuest:v:63:y:2001:i:3:p:381-94 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Simone Pellegrino, 2020. "The Gini Coefficient: Its Origins," Working papers 070, Department of Economics, Social Studies, Applied Mathematics and Statistics (Dipartimento di Scienze Economico-Sociali e Matematico-Statistiche), University of Torino.
      • Simone Pellegrino, 2024. "The Gini Coefficient: Its Origins," Working papers 086, Department of Economics, Social Studies, Applied Mathematics and Statistics (Dipartimento di Scienze Economico-Sociali e Matematico-Statistiche), University of Torino.
    8. Lidia Ceriani & Paolo Verme, 2012. "The origins of the Gini index: extracts from Variabilità e Mutabilità (1912) by Corrado Gini," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 10(3), pages 421-443, September.
    9. Justin Van De Ven & John Creedy & Peter J. Lambert, 2001. "Close Equals and Calculation of the Vertical, Horizontal and Reranking Effects of Taxation," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 63(3), pages 381-394, July.
    10. John Creedy, 2016. "Interpreting inequality measures and changes in inequality," New Zealand Economic Papers, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(2), pages 177-192, August.
    11. Yitzhaki, Shlomo, 1983. "On an Extension of the Gini Inequality Index," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 24(3), pages 617-628, October.
    12. Aronson, J. Richard & Lambert, Peter J., 1994. "Decomposing the Gini Coefficient to Reveal the Vertical, Horizontal, and Reranking Effects of Income Taxation," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association, vol. 47(2), pages 273-94, June.
    13. Dagum, Camilo, 1990. "On the relationship between income inequality measures and social welfare functions," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 43(1-2), pages 91-102.
    14. John Creedy, 2023. "Comparing Income Distributions Using Atkinson's Measure of Inequality," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 56(1), pages 141-155, March.
    15. Muliere, Pietro & Scarsini, Marco, 1989. "A note on stochastic dominance and inequality measures," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 49(2), pages 314-323, December.
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