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The concept and measurement of group inequality

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  • Achin Chakraborty

    (Centre for Development Studies)

Abstract

The economist's conceptualisation of inequality in terms of interpersonal distribution of income or wealth, and the tradition of measurement of inequality that follows from this conceptualisation have not paid adequate attention to the need for reckoning inequality across social groups. In this paper we show that certain simple statistical tools to analyse categorical data can be shown to have properties that conform to our normative judgement on group inequality. We then analyse the grouped data available from such sources as the NSSO to illuminate our understanding of group inequality in India. A broader goal of this paper is to combine the insights from the literature on axiomatic method of measuring inequality with the idea of inequality that is commonly shared by other social science disciplines like sociology and political science.

Suggested Citation

  • Achin Chakraborty, 2001. "The concept and measurement of group inequality," Centre for Development Studies, Trivendrum Working Papers 315, Centre for Development Studies, Trivendrum, India.
    • Handle: RePEc:ind:cdswpp:315
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Amiel,Yoram & Cowell,Frank, 1999. "Thinking about Inequality," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521466967, September.
    2. Sudhir Anand and Amartya Sen, 1995. "Gender Inequality in Human Development: Theories and Measurement," Human Development Occasional Papers (1992-2007) HDOCPA-1995-01, Human Development Report Office (HDRO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
    3. Loury, Glenn C, 1981. "Intergenerational Transfers and the Distribution of Earnings," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 49(4), pages 843-867, June.
    4. Atkinson, Anthony B., 1970. "On the measurement of inequality," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 2(3), pages 244-263, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Shraddha Jain & Udaya S. Mishra, 2018. "Demand for Domestic Workers in India: Its Characteristics and Correlates," The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, Springer;The Indian Society of Labour Economics (ISLE), vol. 61(4), pages 659-679, December.
    2. William Joe & Udaya S. Mishra & K. Navaneetham, 2013. "Inter-Group Inequalities in Child Undernutrition in India: Group Analogue of the Gini Coefficient and Atkinson's Index," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(2), pages 239-257, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Inequality; measurement; social groups; odds ratio; India;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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