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A Subjective Well-being Equivalence Scale for Mexico: Estimation and Poverty and Income-distribution Implications

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  • Mariano Rojas

Abstract

The estimation of equivalence scales is crucial in cases where a well-being comparison of persons living under different household arrangements is needed: for example, to identify the poor, to calculate poverty rates and to estimate income inequality. In spite of the importance of equivalence scales for economic policy, there is little theoretical guidance on their estimation, and most empirical studies have been carried out in developed countries. Traditional estimation methods have been criticized because of their limitations for making welfare comparisons. This paper uses a subjective well-being approach to estimate equivalence scales. The approach provides an equivalence scale founded on economic satisfaction, which can be used to make welfare comparisons for persons living under different household arrangements—for example, in households of different sizes and with different age composition of household members. The empirical study has been carried out for Mexico using a large database. The implications of the subjective well-being scale for the assessment of poverty and income inequality in Mexico are shown on the basis of a national survey and by comparison with alternative scales.

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  • Mariano Rojas, 2007. "A Subjective Well-being Equivalence Scale for Mexico: Estimation and Poverty and Income-distribution Implications," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(3), pages 273-293.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:oxdevs:v:35:y:2007:i:3:p:273-293
    DOI: 10.1080/13600810701514845
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cowell, Frank & Mercader-Prats, Magda, 1999. "Equivalence scales and inequality," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 2190, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. John Creedy & Catherine Sleeman, 2004. "Adult Equivalence Scales, Inequality and Poverty in New Zealand," Treasury Working Paper Series 04/21, New Zealand Treasury.
    3. Charlier, E., 1997. "Equivalence Scales for the Former West Germany," Discussion Paper 1997-74, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kaiser, Caspar, 2018. "People do not adapt to income changes: A re-evaluation of the dynamic effects of (reference) income on life satisfaction with GSOEP and UKHLS data," MPRA Paper 89867, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Abanokova, Kseniya & Dang, Hai-Anh H & Lokshin, Michael, 2020. "The Important Role of Equivalence Scales: Household Size, Composition, and Poverty Dynamics in Russia," IZA Discussion Papers 13043, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Steven F. Koch, 2023. "Basic Needs (in)Security and Subjective Equivalence Scales," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 169(3), pages 723-757, October.
    4. Jolliffe, Dean & Baah, Samuel Kofi Tetteh, 2024. "Identifying the poor – Accounting for household economies of scale in global poverty estimates," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    5. Kaiser, Caspar & Vendrik, Maarten C.M., 2020. "How threatening are transformations of happiness scales to subjective wellbeing research?," Research Memorandum 032, Maastricht University, Graduate School of Business and Economics (GSBE).
    6. Junji Kageyama & Tsukasa Matsuura, 2018. "The Financial Burden of Having Children and Fertility Differentials Across Development and Life Stages: Evidence from Satisfaction Data," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 1-26, January.
    7. Kaiser, Caspar, 2020. "People do not adapt. New analyses of the dynamic effects of own and reference income on life satisfaction," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 494-513.
    8. Melanie Borah & Andreas Knabe & Kevin Pahlke, 2021. "Parental time restrictions and the cost of children: insights from a survey among mothers," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 19(1), pages 73-95, March.
    9. Melanie Borah & Carina Keldenich & Andreas Knabe, 2019. "Reference Income Effects in the Determination of Equivalence Scales Using Income Satisfaction Data," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 65(4), pages 736-770, December.
    10. Kseniya Abanokova & Hai‐Anh H. Dang & Michael Lokshin, 2022. "Do Adjustments for Equivalence Scales Affect Poverty Dynamics? Evidence from the Russian Federation during 1994–2017," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 68(S1), pages 167-192, April.
    11. Abanokova,Kseniya & Dang,Hai-Anh H. & Lokshin,Michael M., 2020. "The Important Role of Equivalence Scales : Household Size, Composition, and Poverty Dynamics in the Russian Federation," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9270, The World Bank.
    12. Ravallion, Martin, 2012. "Poor, or just feeling poor ? on using subjective data in measuring poverty," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5968, The World Bank.
    13. Kaiser, Caspar & Vendrik, Maarten C. M., 2019. "How threatening are transformations of reported happiness to subjective wellbeing research?," SocArXiv gzt7a, Center for Open Science.
    14. Fremstad, Anders & Underwood, Anthony & Zahran, Sammy, 2018. "The Environmental Impact of Sharing: Household and Urban Economies in CO2 Emissions," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 137-147.
    15. Florian Wendelspiess Chávez Juárez, 2011. "Intergenerational transmission of education - Uncovering the mechanisms behind high intergenerational correlations," Working Papers 234, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    16. Mariano Rojas, 2010. "Intra-Household Arrangements and Economic Satisfaction," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 11(2), pages 225-241, April.
    17. Florian Wendelspiess Chávez Juárez, 2015. "Intergenerational transmission of education: the relative importance of transmission channels," Latin American Economic Review, Springer;Centro de Investigaciòn y Docencia Económica (CIDE), vol. 24(1), pages 1-44, December.
    18. Melanie Borah, 2020. "Estimating Extended Income Equivalence Scales from Income Satisfaction and Time Use Data," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 149(2), pages 687-718, June.
    19. Han-Jen Niu, 2017. "Cyber purchasing behavior of adolescents: family communication relationships and parental influence," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 495-519, September.

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