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Inequality of Opportunity in Income and Consumption: the Middle East and North Africa Region in Comparative Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Ragui Assaad

    (University of Minnesota)

  • Caroline Krafft

    (St. Catherine University)

  • John Roemer
  • Djavad Salehi-Isfahani

Abstract

Social justice has been a central theme in the political turmoil affecting the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Perplexingly, standard measures of inequality are not particularly high for MENA countries. One possible explanation for this apparent contradiction is that observed inequality may be masking a large share of inequality of opportunity, the unjustifiable type of inequality associated with social class or other circumstances over which an individual has no control. In this paper we extend the literature on inequality of opportunity in the MENA region by providing estimates of inequality of opportunity in incomes and consumption for Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia. Our results show low levels of inequality of opportunity, as well as inequality, in income measures in the countries examined.

Suggested Citation

  • Ragui Assaad & Caroline Krafft & John Roemer & Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, 2016. "Inequality of Opportunity in Income and Consumption: the Middle East and North Africa Region in Comparative Perspective," Working Papers 1003, Economic Research Forum, revised May 2016.
    • Handle: RePEc:erg:wpaper:1003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John E. Roemer, 2014. "Economic Development as Opportunity Equalization," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 28(2), pages 189-209.
    2. Sami Bibi & Mustapha K. Nabli, 2009. "Income Inequality in the Arab Region: Data and Measurement, Patterns and Trends," Middle East Development Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 1(2), pages 275-314, January.
    3. Safaa El-Kogali & Caroline Krafft, 2015. "Expanding Opportunities for the Next Generation : Early Childhood Development in the Middle East and North Africa," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 21287.
    4. Assaad, Ragui & Hendy, Rana & Salehi-Isfahani, Djavad, 2019. "Inequality of opportunity in educational attainment in the Middle East and North Africa: Evidence from household surveys," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 24-43.
    5. Ragui Assaad & Caroline Krafft & Nadia Belhaj Hassine & Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, 2012. "Inequality of Opportunity in Child Health in the Arab World and Turkey," Middle East Development Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(2), pages 1250006-121, January.
    6. Sami Bibi & Mustapha K. Nabli, 2009. "Income Inequality In The Arab Region: Data And Measurement, Patterns And Trends," Middle East Development Journal (MEDJ), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 1(02), pages 275-314.
    7. Ragui Assaad & Caroline Krafft, 2013. "The Egypt labor market panel survey: introducing the 2012 round," IZA Journal of Labor & Development, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 2(1), pages 1-30, December.
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    12. Assaad, Ragui, 1997. "The Effects of Public Sector Hiring and Compensation Policies on the Egyptian Labor Market," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 11(1), pages 85-118, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Caroline Krafft & Ragui Assaad & Hanan Nazier & Racha Ramadan & Atiyeh Vahidmanesh & Sami Zouari, 2019. "Estimating poverty and inequality in the absence of consumption data: an application to the Middle East and North Africa," Middle East Development Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(1), pages 1-29, January.
    2. Ishac Diwan & Zafiris Tzannatos & Tarik Akin, 2018. "Debunking myth: economic values in the Arab World through the prism of opinion polls," Middle East Development Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(1), pages 31-63, January.
    3. Driouchi, Ahmed & Harkat, Tahar, 2017. "An Empirical Descriptive Analysis of the Factors underlying the Role of Younger Generations in Economic, Social & Political Changes in Arab Countries," MPRA Paper 77216, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Ragui Assaad & Samir Ghazouani & Caroline Krafft & Dominique J. Rolando, 2016. "Introducing the Tunisia Labor Market Panel Survey 2014," IZA Journal of Labor & Development, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 5(1), pages 1-21, December.
    5. Ahmed DRIOUCHI & Cristina BOBOC & Alae GAMAR, 2016. "Inequality In Educational Attainment of Females in Arab Countries: Comparisons to Eastern and Central European Economies," Romanian Journal of Economics, Institute of National Economy, vol. 43(2(52)), pages 34-60, december.
    6. Hlasny, Vladimir & AlAzzawi, Shireen, 2019. "Asset inequality in the MENA: The missing dimension?," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 44-55.
    7. Krafft, Caroline & Alawode, Halimat, 2018. "Inequality of opportunity in higher education in the Middle East and North Africa," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 234-244.
    8. Ragui Assaad & Caroline Krafft & John Roemer & Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, 2016. "Inequality of Opportunity in Income and Consumption in Egypt," Working Papers 1002, Economic Research Forum, revised May 2016.

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