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On the Persistence of Cross‐Country Inequality Measures

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  • DIMITRIS CHRISTOPOULOS
  • PETER MCADAM

Abstract

We examine inequality persistence in a multicountry unbalanced panel using a battery of stationarity and long‐run memory tests. Inequality is measured by the Gini indices of income inequality. Results suggest that we cannot reject a unit root in inequality measures. This applies to both gross and net indices: thus while redistributive measures have reduced the level of inequality, they have not sufficiently modified its apparent unit root. A more likely conclusion is that inequality measures are exceptionally persistent if not strictly a unit root. We also introduce a new panel stationarity test useful for series subject to unknown structural breaks.

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  • Dimitris Christopoulos & Peter Mcadam, 2017. "On the Persistence of Cross‐Country Inequality Measures," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 49(1), pages 255-266, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jmoncb:v:49:y:2017:i:1:p:255-266
    DOI: 10.1111/jmcb.12374
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    3. Papadopoulos, Georgios, 2019. "Income inequality, consumption, credit and credit risk in a data-driven agent-based model," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 39-73.
    4. Jiancai Pi & Kaiqi Zhang & Xiangyu Huang, 2023. "Financial globalization and wage inequality," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 70(2), pages 144-157, May.
    5. Gil-Alana, Luis A. & Škare, Marinko & Pržiklas-Družeta, Romina, 2019. "Measuring inequality persistence in OECD 1963–2008 using fractional integration and cointegration," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 65-72.
    6. Ghoshray, Atanu & Monfort, Mercedes & Ordóñez, Javier, 2020. "Re-examining inequality persistence," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 14, pages 1-9.
    7. Anna Samarina & Anh D.M. Nguyen, 2024. "Does Monetary Policy Affect Income Inequality in the Euro Area?," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 56(1), pages 35-80, February.
    8. Sakiru Adebola Solarin & Carmen Lafuente & Luis A. Gil-Alana & Maria Jesus Gonzalez Blanch, 2022. "Inequality Persistence of 21 OECD Countries from 1870 to 2020: Linear and Non-Linear Fractional Integration Approaches," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 164(2), pages 711-725, November.
    9. Dorina Lazar & Cristian Marius Litan, 2024. "Inequality, Growth, and Structural Transformation: New Evidence from a Post-communist Economy," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 66(2), pages 236-260, June.
    10. Yousef Makhlouf, 2018. "Trends in income inequality," NBS Discussion Papers in Economics 2018/01, Economics, Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University.
    11. Christopoulos, Dimitris & McAdam, Peter, 2017. "Do financial reforms help stabilize inequality?," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 45-61.
    12. Atanu Ghoshray & Issam Malki & Javier Ordóñez, 2022. "On the long-run dynamics of income and wealth inequality," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 62(2), pages 375-408, February.
    13. de Moraes, Claudio Oliveira & Roquete, Raphael Moses & Gawryszewski, Gustavo, 2023. "Who needs cash? Digital finance and income inequality," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 84-93.
    14. Atanu Ghoshray & Issam Malki & Javier Ordóñez, 2020. "Trends, Breaks and Persistence in Top Income Shares," Working Papers 2020/12, Economics Department, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón (Spain).

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    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement

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