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The Kuznets Curve of Education: A Global Perspective on Education Inequalities

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  • Christian Morrisson
  • Fabrice Murtin

Abstract

This paper describes global trends in average educational attainment and in education inequality since 1870, improving the database released by Morrisson-Murtin (2009). Inequality in years of schooling is found to be rapidly decreasing, a direct consequence of the decline in illiteracy. Then, we turn to human capital inequality, and focus, among several other alternatives, on a Mincerian production function of human capital that accounts for diminishing returns to schooling. Within countries, we find evidence of an inverted U-shape curve for human capital inequality, namely a Kuznets curve of education. At the world level, human capital inequality has followed a similar pattern, first increasing from 1870 to 1970, then decreasing.

Suggested Citation

  • Christian Morrisson & Fabrice Murtin, 2010. "The Kuznets Curve of Education: A Global Perspective on Education Inequalities," CEE Discussion Papers 0116, Centre for the Economics of Education, LSE.
    • Handle: RePEc:cep:ceedps:0116
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Eyal Argov, 2018. "The Development Of Education In Israel And Its Contribution To Long-Term Growth," Israel Economic Review, Bank of Israel, vol. 16(1), pages 1-40.
    2. Derick R. C. Almeida & João A. S. Andrade & Adelaide Duarte & Marta Simões, 2022. "Human Capital Disparities and Earnings Inequality in The Portuguese Private Labour Market," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 159(1), pages 145-167, January.
    3. Thomas Ziesemer, 2016. "Gini Coefficients of Education for 146 Countries, 1950-2010," Bulletin of Applied Economics, Risk Market Journals, vol. 3(2), pages 1-8.
    4. Wail BENAABDELAALI & Maurice CATIN, 2018. "Les inégalités d’éducation : une nouvelle base mondiale (1950-2015)," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 47, pages 97-124.
    5. Fabrice Murtin & Romain Wacziarg, 2014. "The democratic transition," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 141-181, June.
    6. Åsa Johansson & Yvan Guillemette & Fabrice Murtin & David Turner & Giuseppe Nicoletti & Christine de la Maisonneuve & Philip Bagnoli & Guillaume Bousquet & Francesca Spinelli, 2013. "Long-Term Growth Scenarios," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 1000, OECD Publishing.
    7. Thomas Ziesemer, 2022. "Global Dynamics of Gini Coefficients of Education for 146 Countries: Update to 1950-2015 and a Compact Guide to the Literature," Bulletin of Applied Economics, Risk Market Journals, vol. 9(1), pages 85-95.
    8. Clifford Afoakwah & Xin Deng & Ilke Onur, 2023. "Reforms and education inequality in Ghana," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(2), pages 853-878, May.
    9. IBOURK, Aomar & AMAGHOUSS, Jabrane, 2015. "Inequality In Education In The Mena Region: A Macroeconometric Investigation Using Normative Indicators," Applied Econometrics and International Development, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 15(2), pages 129-146.
    10. IBOURK, Aomar & AMAGHOUSS, Jabrane, 2014. "The Performance Of Educational System In Morocco: A Spatial Analysis," Regional and Sectoral Economic Studies, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 14(2).
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    12. Åsa Johansson & Yvan Guillemette & Fabrice Murtin & David Turner & Giuseppe Nicoletti & Christine de la Maisonneuve & Guillaume Bousquet & Francesca Spinelli, 2012. "Looking to 2060: Long-Term Global Growth Prospects: A Going for Growth Report," OECD Economic Policy Papers 3, OECD Publishing.
    13. Zamora, Christian Marvin B. & Dorado, Rowena A., 2017. "The Impacts of Male and Female Education on the Economic Growth of Philippine Provinces, 1991–2012," Journal of Economics, Management & Agricultural Development, Journal of Economics, Management & Agricultural Development (JEMAD), vol. 3(1), June.
    14. Maurice CATIN & Mohamed HAZEM, 2012. "Les Disparités De Taux D’Alphabétisation Selon Les Genres Dans Les Délégations Tunisiennes : Une Approche Par L’Économétrie Spatiale," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 35, pages 177-193.
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    16. Aomar Ibourk & Jabrane Amaghouss, 2016. "The dynamics of the reduction of educational inequalities in Africa: an approach by the Kuznets curve - a comparative analysis of the trajectories of anglophone, francophone and Arabic countries," African Journal of Economic and Sustainable Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 5(2), pages 119-136.
    17. Kodjovi M. Eklou, 2020. "A Leadership Curse? Oil Price Shocks and the Selection of National Leaders," Cahiers de recherche 20-05, Departement d'économique de l'École de gestion à l'Université de Sherbrooke.
    18. Romain Bouis & Romain Duval & Fabrice Murtin, 2011. "The Policy and Institutional Drivers of Economic Growth Across OECD and Non-OECD Economies: New Evidence from Growth Regressions," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 843, OECD Publishing.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Inequality; human capital; economic history; Kuznets curve.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • E27 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Forecasting and Simulation: Models and Applications
    • F02 - International Economics - - General - - - International Economic Order and Integration
    • N00 - Economic History - - General - - - General
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General

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