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The Paradox of Education or the Good Side of Inequality

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  • Garcia-Penalosa, Cecilia

Abstract

In this paper, the author argues that one of the mechanisms through which inequality may affect long-run growth is through individuals' education possibilities. The cost of education is, therefore, a crucial variable. The author endogenizes this cost and shows that it will be high relative to average wealth in poor countries and relatively low in rich countries. With two-tailed distributions of wealth, this is going to imply that greater inequality increases growth rates in poor economies, while it decreases them in rich economies. Copyright 1995 by Royal Economic Society.

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  • Garcia-Penalosa, Cecilia, 1995. "The Paradox of Education or the Good Side of Inequality," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 47(2), pages 265-285, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:oxecpp:v:47:y:1995:i:2:p:265-85
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Findlay, Ronald & Kierzkowski, Henryk, 1983. "International Trade and Human Capital: A Simple General Equilibrium Model," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 91(6), pages 957-978, December.
    2. Roberto Perotti, 1993. "Political Equilibrium, Income Distribution, and Growth," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 60(4), pages 755-776.
    3. Torsten Persson and Guido Tabellini., 1991. "Is Inequality Harmful for Growth? Theory and Evidence," Economics Working Papers 91-155, University of California at Berkeley.
    4. Saint-Paul, Gilles & Verdier, Thierry, 1993. "Education, democracy and growth," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 399-407, December.
    5. 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.
    6. Oded Galor & Joseph Zeira, 1993. "Income Distribution and Macroeconomics," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 60(1), pages 35-52.
    7. Romer, Paul M, 1990. "Endogenous Technological Change," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(5), pages 71-102, October.
    8. Aghion, Philippe & Bolton, Patrick, 1992. "Distribution and growth in models of imperfect capital markets," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(2-3), pages 603-611, April.
    9. Jacob Mincer, 1958. "Investment in Human Capital and Personal Income Distribution," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 66(4), pages 281-281.
    10. Glomm, Gerhard & Ravikumar, B, 1992. "Public versus Private Investment in Human Capital Endogenous Growth and Income Inequality," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 100(4), pages 818-834, August.
    11. Atkinson, Anthony B., 1970. "On the measurement of inequality," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 2(3), pages 244-263, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gylfason, Thorvaldur, 2008. "Development and Growth in Mineral-Rich Countries," CEPR Discussion Papers 7031, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    2. Cristiano Perugini & Gaetano Martino, 2008. "Income Inequality Within European Regions: Determinants And Effects On Growth," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 54(3), pages 373-406, September.
    3. Ziesemer, Thomas, 2011. "What Changes Gini Coefficients of Education? On the dynamic interaction between education, its distribution and growth," MERIT Working Papers 2011-053, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    4. Thorvaldur Gylfason & Gylfi Zoega, 2002. "Inequality and Economic Growth: Do Natural Resources Matter?," CESifo Working Paper Series 712, CESifo.
    5. Martino, Gaetano & Polinori, Paolo, 2010. "The individual contribution to income inequality: conceptual analysis and empirical investigation," MPRA Paper 34365, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Chol-Won Li., "undated". "Inequality and Growth: A Schumpeterian Perspective," Working Papers 9609, Business School - Economics, University of Glasgow, revised Feb 1998.
    7. Thomas Leoni & Wolfgang Pollan, 2003. "The Impact of Inequality on Economic Growth," WIFO Working Papers 211, WIFO.
    8. Temple, Jonathan, 1998. "Initial Conditions, Social Capital and Growth in Africa," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 7(3), pages 309-347, October.

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