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Twin Peaks or Three Components? - Analyzing the World\'s Cross-Country Distribution of Income

Author

Listed:
  • Hajo Holzmann

    (Institute of Stochastics, University of Karlsruhe / Germany)

  • Sebastian Vollmer

    (Ibero-America Institute, University of Goettingen / Germany)

  • Julian Weisbrod

    (Department of Economics, University of Goettingen / Germany)

Abstract

In this paper we analyze the world´s cross-national distribution of income and its evolution from 1970 to 2003. We argue that modeling this distribution by a finite mixture and investigating its number of components has advantages over nonparametric inference concerning the number of modes. In particular, the number of components of the distribution does not depend on the scale chosen (original or logarithmic), whereas the number of modes does. Instead of so-called twin-peaks, we find that the distribution appears to have only two components in 1970-1975, but consists of three components from 1976 onwards, a low, average and high mean-income group, with group means diverging over time. Here we apply recently developed modified likelihood ratio tests for the number of components in a finite mixture. The intra distributional dynamics are investigated in detail using posterior probability estimates.

Suggested Citation

  • Hajo Holzmann & Sebastian Vollmer & Julian Weisbrod, 2007. "Twin Peaks or Three Components? - Analyzing the World\'s Cross-Country Distribution of Income," Ibero America Institute for Econ. Research (IAI) Discussion Papers 162, Ibero-America Institute for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:got:iaidps:162
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    File URL: http://www2.vwl.wiso.uni-goettingen.de/ibero/papers/DB162.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Inyong Shin, 2016. "Change and prediction of income and fertility rates across countries," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(1), pages 1119367-111, December.
    2. Inmaculada Martínez-Zarzoso & Sebastian Vollmer, 2016. "Bilateral Trade Flows and Income Distribution Similarity," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(5), pages 1-12, May.
    3. Vollmer, Sebastian & Ziegler, Maria, 2009. "Political Institutions and Human Development Does Democracy Fulfill its 'Constructive' and 'Instrumental' Role?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4818, The World Bank.
    4. Răileanu-Szeles, Monica & Albu, Lucian, 2015. "Nonlinearities and divergences in the process of European financial integration," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 416-425.
    5. Fabio Clementi & Francesco Schettino, 2013. "Income polarization in Brazil, 2001-2011: A distributional analysis using PNAD data," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 33(3), pages 1796-1815.
    6. F. Clementi & A. L. Dabalen & V. Molini & F. Schettino, 2017. "When the Centre Cannot Hold: Patterns of Polarization in Nigeria," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 63(4), pages 608-632, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    cross-national income distribution; mixture models; modified likelihood ratio test; nonparametric density estimation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C12 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Hypothesis Testing: General
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • F01 - International Economics - - General - - - Global Outlook

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