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Age Structure, Income Distribution and Economic Growth

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  • Rafael Gomez
  • David K. Foot

Abstract

A recent body of empirical cross-country research has confirmed that income inequality is negatively related to economic growth. This paper provides an explanatory channel for this observed relationship. The novelty of our approach consists in the use of demographic channels to account for cross-country differentials in economic growth and income distribution. We present four models that have emerged as the most plausible transmission mechanisms linking inequality to slower growth. In each instance we demonstrate how a consideration of demographic age structure can complement the four mainstream accounts.

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  • Rafael Gomez & David K. Foot, 2003. "Age Structure, Income Distribution and Economic Growth," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 29(s1), pages 141-162, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpp:issued:v:29:y:2003:i:s1:p:141-162
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    2. Jean-Yves Duclos & Bouba Housseini, 2015. "Does Quality, Quantity and Duration of Lives," Cahiers de recherche 1501, Chaire de recherche Industrielle Alliance sur les enjeux économiques des changements démographiques.
    3. Hoover, Gary A. & Giedeman, Daniel C. & Dibooglu, Sel, 2009. "Income inequality and the business cycle: A threshold cointegration approach," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 278-292, September.
    4. Armbruster, Walter J. & Coyle, William T. & Gilmour, Brad, 2004. "Where Will Demographics Take the Asia-Pacific Food System?," 2004 Conference (48th), February 11-13, 2004, Melbourne, Australia 58368, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.
    5. Jean-Yves DUCLOS & Bouba HOUSSEINI, 2015. "Quality, Quantity and Duration of Lives," Working Papers P118, FERDI.
    6. Jean-Yves Duclos & Bouba Housseini, 2015. "Quality, Quantity and Duration of Lives," CIRANO Working Papers 2015s-12, CIRANO.
    7. M. Mazharul Islam, 2016. "Demographic transition and the emerging windows of opportunities and challenges in Bangladesh," Journal of Population Research, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 283-305, September.
    8. Robin Maialeh, 2016. "Fundamentální koncept nerovnosti v perspektivě paretovské ekonomie [A Fundamental Concept of Inequality in the Perspective of Paretian Economics]," Politická ekonomie, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2016(8), pages 973-987.

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