IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jknowl/v13y2022i3d10.1007_s13132-021-00807-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Human Capital Inequality with Subsistence Consumption

Author

Listed:
  • Yu Murayama

    (Oita University)

Abstract

This paper analyzed the evolution of human capital inequality in an overlapping generations model that incorporates Stone–Geary preferences with subsistence consumption. Many studies have revealed an inverted U-shaped relationship between human capital inequality and economic development, namely the human capital Kuznets curve. However, this curve is inconsistent with empirical evidence in a US context, where the data suggest a U-shaped evolution of earnings inequality. We show that the utility function has an increasing elasticity of substitution, and the time allocated to human capital investment decreases in the early stages of human capital accumulation and increases afterward. Thus, we obtain a U-shaped curve for human capital inequality if the elasticity of substitution is large. Eventually, decreasing returns to human capital accumulation reduce inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • Yu Murayama, 2022. "Human Capital Inequality with Subsistence Consumption," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(3), pages 2127-2137, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jknowl:v:13:y:2022:i:3:d:10.1007_s13132-021-00807-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s13132-021-00807-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s13132-021-00807-9
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s13132-021-00807-9?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kraay, Aart & Raddatz, Claudio, 2007. "Poverty traps, aid, and growth," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(2), pages 315-347, March.
    2. Ravn, Morten O. & Schmitt-Grohé, Stephanie & Uribe, Martín, 2008. "Macroeconomics Of Subsistence Points," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(S1), pages 136-147, April.
    3. R. C. Geary, 1950. "A Note on "A Constant-Utility Index of the Cost of Living"," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 18(1), pages 65-66.
    4. Glomm, Gerhard & Ravikumar, B., 1998. "Increasing returns, human capital, and the Kuznets curve," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(2), pages 353-367, April.
    5. Stefan Baumgaertner & Moritz A. Drupp & Martin F. Quaas, 2013. "Subsistence and substitutability in consumer preferences," Working Paper Series in Economics 290, University of Lüneburg, Institute of Economics.
    6. Matsuo, Miki & Tomoda, Yasunobu, 2012. "Human capital Kuznets curve with subsistence consumption level," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 116(3), pages 392-395.
    7. Steger, Thomas M., 2000. "Economic growth with subsistence consumption," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(2), pages 343-361, August.
    8. Glomm, Gerhard & Ravikumar, B., 2003. "Public education and income inequality," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 19(2), pages 289-300, June.
    9. Koskela, Erkki & Puhakka, Mikko, 2007. "Stone-Geary preferences in overlapping generations economies under pure exchange: A note," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 29(4), pages 976-982, December.
    10. Strulik, Holger, 2010. "A Note On Economic Growth With Subsistence Consumption," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(5), pages 763-771, November.
    11. Wojciech Kopczuk & Emmanuel Saez & Jae Song, 2010. "Earnings Inequality and Mobility in the United States: Evidence from Social Security Data Since 1937," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 125(1), pages 91-128.
    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. Stefan Baumgärtner & Moritz A. Drupp & Martin F. Quaas, 2017. "Subsistence, Substitutability and Sustainability in Consumption," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 67(1), pages 47-66, May.
    2. Stefan Baumgaertner & Moritz A. Drupp & Martin F. Quaas, 2013. "Subsistence and substitutability in consumer preferences," Working Paper Series in Economics 290, University of Lüneburg, Institute of Economics.
    3. Antony, Jürgen & Klarl, Torben, 2022. "Poverty and sustainable development around the world during transition periods," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    4. Antony, Jürgen & Klarl, Torben, 2023. "Subsistence consumption and natural resource depletion: Can resource-rich low-income countries realize sustainable consumption paths?," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    5. Antony, Jürgen & Klarl, Torben, 2019. "Resource depletion in a Ramsey economy with subsistence consumption, exogenous technical change and capital depreciation: A full characterization," VfS Annual Conference 2019 (Leipzig): 30 Years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall - Democracy and Market Economy 203640, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    6. Jürgen Antony & Torben Klarl, 2019. "Non-Renewable Resources in a Ramsey Economy with Subsistence Consumption, Human and Physical Capital Accumulation: A full Characterization," Bremen Papers on Economics & Innovation 1904, University of Bremen, Faculty of Business Studies and Economics.
    7. Antony, Jürgen & Klarl, Torben, 2019. "Non-renewable resources, subsistence consumption, and Hartwick's investment rule," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 124-142.
    8. Ma, Chang, 2020. "Financial stability, growth and macroprudential policy," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    9. Strulik, Holger, 2012. "Poverty, voracity, and growth," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(2), pages 396-403.
    10. Holger Strulik, 2014. "Knowledge And Growth In The Very Long Run," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 55(2), pages 459-482, May.
    11. Debajyoti Chakrabarty, 2023. "Relative deprivation, time preference, and economic growth," International Journal of Economic Theory, The International Society for Economic Theory, vol. 19(3), pages 489-525, September.
    12. Strulik, Holger, 2012. "Patience and prosperity," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 147(1), pages 336-352.
    13. repec:got:cegedp:145 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Matsuo, Miki & Tomoda, Yasunobu, 2012. "Human capital Kuznets curve with subsistence consumption level," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 116(3), pages 392-395.
    15. Koichi Futagami & Mitsuyoshi Yanagihara, 2008. "Private And Public Education: Human Capital Accumulation Under Parental Teaching," The Japanese Economic Review, Japanese Economic Association, vol. 59(3), pages 275-291, September.
    16. Üngör, Murat, 2014. "Some thought experiments on the changes in labor supply in Turkey," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 265-272.
    17. Zeytoon Nejad Moosavian, Seyyed Ali & Goodwin, Barry K., 2018. "GENERALIZING THE GENERAL: Generalizing the CES Production Function to Allow for the Flexibility of Input-Driven Output Risk and Viability of Input Thresholds," 2018 Annual Meeting, August 5-7, Washington, D.C. 274352, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    18. Manipushpak Mitra & Debapriya Sen, 2022. "A microeconomic analysis of subsistence," Indian Economic Review, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 301-320, December.
    19. Ralph Hippe & Roger Fouquet, 2024. "The Human Capital Transition and the Role of Policy," Springer Books, in: Claude Diebolt & Michael Haupert (ed.), Handbook of Cliometrics, edition 3, pages 411-457, Springer.
    20. Strulik, Holger, 2010. "A Note On Economic Growth With Subsistence Consumption," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(5), pages 763-771, November.
    21. Ravn, Morten O. & Schmitt-Grohé, Stephanie & Uribe, Martín, 2008. "Macroeconomics Of Subsistence Points," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(S1), pages 136-147, April.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Human capital; Inequality; Stone–Geary preferences;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D11 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Theory
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

    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:spr:jknowl:v:13:y:2022:i:3:d:10.1007_s13132-021-00807-9. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.