IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/regstd/v48y2014i2p239-253.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Does Fiscal Federalism Promote Regional Inequality? An Empirical Analysis of the OECD, 1980-2005

Author

Listed:
  • Jason Sorens

Abstract

Sorens J. Does fiscal federalism promote regional inequality? An empirical analysis of the OECD, 1980-2005, Regional Studies . This paper explores the relationship between fiscal federalism, understood as institutionalized regional economic self-rule, and convergence in regional per capita incomes. The principal economic argument against fiscal federalism is that, unless paired with generous equalization grants, it will enhance regional inequalities by reducing inter-regional redistribution. Does the evidence support this claim? Multilevel spatial regressions on primary sub-national jurisdictions in twenty-five Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries show that lower-income regions tend to catch up with higher-income regions only when they enjoy substantial economic powers. Indeed, there is more convergence across member states of the European Union than across regions within almost any of the European Union member states. Fiscal federalism may pose less serious tradeoffs than commonly assumed.

Suggested Citation

  • Jason Sorens, 2014. "Does Fiscal Federalism Promote Regional Inequality? An Empirical Analysis of the OECD, 1980-2005," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(2), pages 239-253, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:regstd:v:48:y:2014:i:2:p:239-253
    DOI: 10.1080/00343404.2012.661851
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/00343404.2012.661851
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/00343404.2012.661851?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. Christopher F Baum, 2006. "An Introduction to Modern Econometrics using Stata," Stata Press books, StataCorp LP, number imeus, March.
    2. Kessler, Anke & Lessmann, Christian, 2010. "Interregional Redistribution and Regional Disparities: How Equalization Does (Not) Work," CEPR Discussion Papers 8133, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yutao Han & Patrice Pieretti & Benteng Zou, 2018. "Does tax competition increase infrastructural disparity among jurisdictions?," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(1), pages 20-36, February.
    2. Javier Mart n-Rom n & Luis Ayala & Juan Vicente, 2017. "Regional inequality in decentralized countries: a multi-country analysis using LIS," LIS Working papers 697, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    3. Philipp Erfurth, 2022. "Is Income Inequality Converging at the Regional Level? Evidence from LIS Data," LIS Working papers 841, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    4. Giannola, Adriano & Petraglia, Carmelo & Scalera, Domenico, 2016. "Net fiscal flows and interregional redistribution in Italy: A long-run perspective (1951–2010)," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 1-16.
    5. Sorens, Jason, 2016. "Vertical Fiscal Gaps and Economic Performance: A Theoretical Review and an Empirical Meta-analysis," Working Papers 06856, George Mason University, Mercatus Center.
    6. Juan Mauricio Ramírez & Yadira Díaz & Juan Guillermo Bedoya, 2014. "Decentralization in Colombia : searching for social equity in a bumpy economic geography," Working Papers Series. Documentos de Trabajo 11557, Fedesarrollo.
    7. Yongzheng Liu & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Alfred M. Wu, 2017. "Fiscal decentralization, equalization, and intra-provincial inequality in China," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 24(2), pages 248-281, April.
    8. Jesús Peiró‐Palomino & Andrés J. Picazo‐Tadeo & Vicente Rios, 2020. "Well‐being in European regions: Does government quality matter?," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 99(3), pages 555-582, June.
    9. Joan Costa-Font & Gilberto Turati, 2018. "Regional healthcare decentralization in unitary states: equal spending, equal satisfaction?," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(7), pages 974-985, July.
    10. Lucas, David S. & Boudreaux, Christopher J., 2020. "National regulation, state-level policy, and local job creation in the United States: A multilevel perspective," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(4).
    11. Rosella Levaggi & Francesco Menoncin, 2015. "Would less solidarity justify present calls for devolution?," Working papers 32, Società Italiana di Economia Pubblica.
    12. Rosella Levaggi & Francesco Menoncin, 2017. "Would less regional income distribution justify the present call for devolution?," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 24(5), pages 780-799, September.
    13. Taeko Hiroi, 2019. "Paradox of Redistribution: Legislative Overrepresentation and Regional Development in Brazil," Publius: The Journal of Federalism, CSF Associates Inc., vol. 49(4), pages 642-670.

    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. Huy Quang Doan, 2019. "Trade, Institutional Quality and Income: Empirical Evidence for Sub-Saharan Africa," Economies, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-23, May.
    2. Langyintuo, Augustine S. & Mungoma, Catherine, 2008. "The effect of household wealth on the adoption of improved maize varieties in Zambia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 550-559, December.
    3. Boeker, Warren & Howard, Michael D. & Basu, Sandip & Sahaym, Arvin, 2021. "Interpersonal relationships, digital technologies, and innovation in entrepreneurial ventures," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 495-507.
    4. Christoph S. Weber, 2018. "Central bank transparency and inflation (volatility) – new evidence," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 21-67, January.
    5. Lionel Artige & Rosella Nicolini, 2008. "Memory in Contracts: The experience of the EBRD (1991-2003)," CREPP Working Papers 0803, Centre de Recherche en Economie Publique et de la Population (CREPP) (Research Center on Public and Population Economics) HEC-Management School, University of Liège.
    6. Micaela Antunes & Elias Soukiazis, 2009. "How well the balance-of- payments constraint approach explains the Portuguese growth performance: empirical evidence for the 1965-2008 period," GEMF Working Papers 2009-13, GEMF, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra.
    7. Fischer, Denise & Greven, Andrea & Tornow, Mark & Brettel, Malte, 2021. "On the value of effectuation processes for R&D alliances and the moderating role of R&D alliance experience," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 606-619.
    8. Jamie M. Sommer & Michael Restivo & John M. Shandra, 2020. "The United States, Bilateral Debt-for-Nature Swaps, and Forest Loss: A Cross-National Analysis," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(4), pages 748-764, April.
    9. Mendoza-Lozano, Frederick Andrés & Quintero-Peña, Jose Wilmar & García-Rodríguez, Jose Felix, 2021. "The digital divide between high school students in Colombia," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(10).
    10. Fosu, Samuel & Danso, Albert & Agyei-Boapeah, Henry & Ntim, Collins G. & Murinde, Victor, 2018. "How does banking market power affect bank opacity? Evidence from analysts' forecasts," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 38-52.
    11. Cincera, Michele & Ince, Ela & Santos, Anabela, 2024. "Revisiting the innovation-competition nexus: Evidence from worldwide manufacturing and service industries," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 586-603.
    12. Amal Aouadi & Sylvain Marsat, 2018. "Do ESG Controversies Matter for Firm Value? Evidence from International Data," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 151(4), pages 1027-1047, September.
    13. Cazzavillan, Guido & Olszewski, Krzysztof, 2012. "Interaction between foreign financial services and foreign direct investment in Transition Economies: An empirical analysis with focus on the manufacturing sector," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(4), pages 305-319.
    14. José María ARRANZ & Carlos GARCÍA SERRANO & Virginia HERNANZ, 2013. "Active labour market policies in Spain: A macroeconomic evaluation," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 152(2), pages 327-348, June.
    15. Zhorayev, Olzhas, 2020. "Determinants of Trust in Police: A Cross-National Analysis," MPRA Paper 109068, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Brücker, Herbert & Bertoli, Simone & Fernández-Huertas Moraga, Jesús, 2013. "The European Crisis and Migration to Germany: Expectations and the Diversion of Migration Flows," VfS Annual Conference 2013 (Duesseldorf): Competition Policy and Regulation in a Global Economic Order 79693, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    17. Beltran, Jesusa C. & Pannell, David J. & Doole, Graeme J. & White, Benedict, 2011. "Factors that affect the use of herbicides in Philippine rice farming systems," Working Papers 108769, University of Western Australia, School of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
    18. Akisik, Orhan & Gal, Graham, 2023. "IFRS, financial development and income inequality: An empirical study using mediation analysis," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 47(2).
    19. Andrés Langebaek & Edgar Caicedo, 2007. "Sesgo de medición del IPC: nueva evidencia para Colombia," Borradores de Economia 435, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
    20. Zyglidopoulos, Stelios C. & Georgiadis, Andreas P. & Carroll, Craig E. & Siegel, Donald S., 2012. "Does media attention drive corporate social responsibility?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 65(11), pages 1622-1627.

    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:taf:regstd:v:48:y:2014:i:2:p:239-253. 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: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/CRES20 .

    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.