IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ove/journl/aid20874.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Human genetic diversity and income inequality

Author

Listed:
  • Mustafa Kilinc
  • Zeynel Abidin Kilinc

Abstract

This paper examines whether human genetic diversity is relevant to understand income inequality differences across countries. It extends the existing genetics-development studies in the literature to the relationship between genetics and inequality. The results obtained from 147 countries indicate that there is a statistically significant U-shaped relationship between genetic diversity and inequality. An important mediating factor in this relationship can be the level of trust in society. Genetic homogeneity can increase mutual support, aid, and cooperation in society. Hence, higher levels of genetic homogeneity can be associated with higher trust levels, which improves income equality. In addition, the relationship between genetics and the innovation capacity of societies can be another causal mechanism relating genetics to inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • Mustafa Kilinc & Zeynel Abidin Kilinc, 2024. "Human genetic diversity and income inequality," Economics and Business Letters, Oviedo University Press, vol. 13(4), pages 183-193.
    • Handle: RePEc:ove:journl:aid:20874
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://reunido.uniovi.es/index.php/EBL/article/view/20874
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Acemoglu, Daron & Johnson, Simon & Robinson, James A., 2005. "Institutions as a Fundamental Cause of Long-Run Growth," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 6, pages 385-472, Elsevier.
    2. Guglielmo Barone & Sauro Mocetti, 2016. "Inequality And Trust: New Evidence From Panel Data," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 54(2), pages 794-809, April.
    3. Mikkel Aagaard Houmark & Victor Ronda & Michael Rosholm, 2024. "The Nurture of Nature and the Nature of Nurture: How Genes and Investments Interact in the Formation of Skills," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 114(2), pages 385-425, February.
    4. Amini, Amirhossein & Jogani, Chitra, 2023. "Genetic diversity and income inequality: The case for Y-chromosome DNA diversity," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 174-181.
    5. Sintos, Andreas, 2023. "Does inflation worsen income inequality? A meta-analysis," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 47(4).
    6. Davide Furceri & Jonathan D Ostry, 2019. "Robust determinants of income inequality," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 35(3), pages 490-517.
    7. Basak Kus, 2012. "Financialisation and Income Inequality in OECD Nations:1995-2007," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 43(4), pages 477-495.
    8. Frederick Solt, 2016. "The Standardized World Income Inequality Database," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 97(5), pages 1267-1281, November.
    9. Ang, James B. & Kumar, Sanjesh, 2014. "Financial development and barriers to the cross-border diffusion of financial innovation," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 43-56.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sebri, Maamar & Dachraoui, Hajer, 2021. "Natural resources and income inequality: A meta-analytic review," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    2. Kouadio, Hugues Kouassi & Gakpa, Lewis-Landry, 2022. "Do economic growth and institutional quality reduce poverty and inequality in West Africa?," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 41-63.
    3. Bartak, Jakub & Jabłoński, Łukasz & Tomkiewicz, Jacek, 2022. "Does income inequality explain public debt change in OECD countries?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 211-224.
    4. Johan Graafland & Bjorn Lous, 2019. "Income Inequality, Life Satisfaction Inequality and Trust: A Cross Country Panel Analysis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(6), pages 1717-1737, August.
    5. Samuel Adams & Edem Kwame Mensah Klobodu, 2019. "Urbanization, Economic Structure, Political Regime, and Income Inequality," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 142(3), pages 971-995, April.
    6. Umut Uzar, 2023. "Income Inequality, Institutions, and Freedom of the Press: Potential Mechanisms and Evidence," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-23, August.
    7. Zhian Zhiow Augustinne Wong & Ramez Abubakr Badeeb & Abey P. Philip, 2023. "Financial Inclusion, Poverty, and Income Inequality in ASEAN Countries: Does Financial Innovation Matter?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 169(1), pages 471-503, September.
    8. Ezcurra, Roberto & Zuazu, Izaskun, 2019. "Political equality and quality of government," MPRA Paper 96476, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Nikolaev, Boris & Boudreaux, Christopher & Salahodjaev, Rauf, 2017. "Are individualistic societies less equal? Evidence from the parasite stress theory of values," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 30-49.
    10. Acheampong, Alex O. & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Dzator, Janet & Jiao, Zhilun, 2022. "Effects of income inequality and governance on energy poverty alleviation: Implications for sustainable development policy," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    11. Chia, Poh San & Law, Siong Hook & Trinugroho, Irwan & Wiwoho, Jamal & Damayanti, Sylviana Maya & Sergi, Bruno S., 2022. "Dynamic linkages among transparency, income inequality and economic growth in developing countries: Evidence from panel vector autoregressive (PVAR) model," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    12. Kotschy, Rainer & Sunde, Uwe, 2017. "Democracy, inequality, and institutional quality," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 209-228.
    13. Trung V Vu, 2023. "Long-term relatedness and income distribution: understanding the deep roots of inequality," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 75(3), pages 704-728.
    14. Andreas Kyriacou & Pedro Trivin, 2020. "Economic development, inequality and generalized trust," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 40(1), pages 286-291.
    15. Vieira, Flávio & MacDonald, Ronald & Damasceno, Aderbal, 2012. "The role of institutions in cross-section income and panel data growth models: A deeper investigation on the weakness and proliferation of instruments," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 127-140.
    16. Cruzatti C., John & Bjørnskov, Christian & Sáenz de Viteri, Andrea & Cruzatti, Christian, 2024. "Geography, development, and power: Parliament leaders and local clientelism," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    17. Eicher, Theo S. & Schreiber, Till, 2010. "Structural policies and growth: Time series evidence from a natural experiment," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(1), pages 169-179, January.
    18. Henrekson, Magnus & Johansson, Dan, 2010. "Firm Growth, Institutions and Structural Transformation," Ratio Working Papers 150, The Ratio Institute.
    19. Domenico Giannone & Michele Lenza & Lucrezia Reichlin, 2011. "Market Freedom and the Global Recession," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 59(1), pages 111-135, April.
    20. Azariadis, Costas & Stachurski, John, 2005. "Poverty Traps," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 5, Elsevier.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ove:journl:aid:20874. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Francisco J. Delgado (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/deovies.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.