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Measuring inequality

Author

Listed:
  • Thomas McGregor
  • Brock Smith
  • Samuel Wills

Abstract

Inequality is important, both for its own sake and for its political, social, and economic implications. However, measuring inequality is not straightforward, as it requires decisions to be made on the variable, population, and distributional characteristics of interest. These decisions will naturally influence the conclusions that are drawn so they must be closely linked to an underlying purpose, which is ultimately defined by a social welfare function. This paper outlines important considerations when making each of these decisions, before surveying recent advances in measuring inequality and suggesting avenues for future work.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas McGregor & Brock Smith & Samuel Wills, 2019. "Measuring inequality," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 35(3), pages 368-395.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:oxford:v:35:y:2019:i:3:p:368-395.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/oxrep/grz015
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Dorothee Hillrichs & Gonzague Vannoorenberghe, 2021. "Recovering Within-Country Inequality From Trade Data," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2021014, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
    2. Nguyen, Hien Phuc & Khieu, Hoang, 2021. "Progressive wealth tax: An inquiry into Biden’s tax policy," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 735-742.
    3. Lachlan Johnson & Richard Eccleston, 2023. "Interrogating inclusive growth: Implications for conceptualisation, measurement and policy practice," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(2), pages 362-376, June.
    4. Radatz, Laura & Baten, Joerg, 2023. "Measuring Multidimensional Inequality and Conflict in Africa and in a Global Comparison," VfS Annual Conference 2023 (Regensburg): Growth and the "sociale Frage" 277637, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    5. George Petrakos & Kostas Rontos & Luca Salvati & Chara Vavoura & Ioannis Vavouras, 2024. "Income Inequality in the Over-Indebted Eurozone Countries and the Role of the Excessive Deficit Procedure," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 35(2), pages 301-322, April.
    6. Blotevogel, Robert & Imamoglu, Eslem & Moriyama, Kenji & Sarr, Babacar, 2022. "Income inequality measures and economic growth channels," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    7. Panagiotis Konstantinou & Anastasios Rizos & Artemis Stratopoulou, 2022. "Macroprudential policies and income inequality in former transition economies," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 55(2), pages 1005-1062, May.
    8. Thitithep Sitthiyot & Kanyarat Holasut, 2020. "A simple method for measuring inequality," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 6(1), pages 1-9, December.
    9. Dagim Tadesse Bekele, 2020. "Effect of Macroeconomic, Demographic, and Governance Factors on Income Inequality of Selected sub-Saharan Africa Countries," Journal of Economic Development, Environment and People, Alliance of Central-Eastern European Universities, vol. 9(1), pages 60-70, September.
    10. Philip Arestis & Peter Phelps, 2023. "Local Financial Institutions and Income Inequality: Evidence from Brazil's Credit Cooperative Movement," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 54(4), pages 739-779, July.
    11. Andrzej Tucki & Korneliusz Pylak, 2021. "Collective or Individual? What Types of Tourism Reduce Economic Inequality in Peripheral Regions?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-16, April.

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