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Inequality in Belarus from 1995 to 2007

Author

Listed:
  • Maksim Yemelyanau

    (Belarusian Economic Research and Outreach Center (BEROC) and Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education and the Economics Institute of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (CERGE-EI))

Abstract

Income and consumption inequality increased in all transition economies, albeit to very different levels. The existing literature suggests that countries that were slow to undertake pro-market reforms experienced the largest in- creases in inequality, with the notable exception of Belarus, one of the least reformed ex-Soviet republics, that nevertheless has inequality comparable to the most advanced and least unequal transition countries of Central Eu- rope. This paper studies the evolution of inequality in Belarus in 1995-2007, decomposes inequality by sources of income, and provides a comparison of Belarus and Ukraine, which suggests that the large difference in inequality is due to different income policies of the two countries: Belarus not only avoided mass privatization, but also kept many of the old-style Soviet social security features.

Suggested Citation

  • Maksim Yemelyanau, 2009. "Inequality in Belarus from 1995 to 2007," BEROC Working Paper Series 01, Belarusian Economic Research and Outreach Center (BEROC).
    • Handle: RePEc:bel:wpaper:01
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Belarus; Ukraine; transition; income inequality; expenditure inequality; social security; DiNardo-Fortin-Lemieux counterfactual kernel densities;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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