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Oil Rent and Income Inequality in Developing Economies: Are They Friends or Foes?

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  • Gaëlle Tatiana TIMBA
  • Douzounet MALLAYE
  • Urbain Thierry YOGO

Abstract

Using the most recent available data on a sample of 40 developing countries, this paper addresses the effects of oil rent on inequality. Mobilizing a dynamic panel data specification over the period 1996–2008, the econometric results yield two important findings. First, there is a non-linear (U-shaped) relationship between oil rent and inequality. Specifically, oil rent lowers inequality in the short run. This effect then diminishes over time as the oil revenues increase. Our complementary finding is that the fall in income inequality as a result of the increase in the oil rent is fully absorbed by the increase in corruption. Further, the paper examines the channels of causality underlying this relationship. The graphical analysis shows the consistency of the data with the hypothesis according to which corruption, military expenditure, and inflation mediate the effect of oil rent on income inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • Gaëlle Tatiana TIMBA & Douzounet MALLAYE & Urbain Thierry YOGO, 2015. "Oil Rent and Income Inequality in Developing Economies: Are They Friends or Foes?," Working Papers 201502, CERDI.
    • Handle: RePEc:cdi:wpaper:1644
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    2. Arsham Reisinezhad, 2020. "Does income inequality feed the Dutch disease?," PSE Working Papers halshs-03012653, HAL.
    3. Keller, Michael, 2020. "Wasted windfalls: Inefficiencies in health care spending in oil rich countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    4. Gadom Djal Gadom & Armand Mboutchouang Kountchou & Gbetoton Nad ge Ad le Djossou & Gilles Quentin Kane & Abdelkrim Araar, 2017. "The impact of oil exploitation on wellbeing in Chad," Working Papers PMMA 2017-06, PEP-PMMA.
    5. Arsham Reisinezhad, 2018. "Economic Growth and Income Inequality in Resource Countries: Theory and Evidence," Working Papers halshs-01707976, HAL.
    6. Younes Nademi, 2018. "The resource curse and income inequality in Iran," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(3), pages 1159-1172, May.
    7. John C. Anyanwu, 2016. "Empirical Analysis of the Main Drivers of Income Inequality in Southern Africa," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 17(2), pages 337-364, November.
    8. Gemicioğlu, Selçuk & Soyhan, Sinem & Mollavelioğlu, M. Şükrü, 2024. "Do natural resources lead to a curse or blessing in terms of income inequality?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Oil rent; Inequality; Developing countries; Dynamic panel data; Corruption;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • Q32 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation - - - Exhaustible Resources and Economic Development
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products

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