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Is Inequality of Opportunity Robust to the Measurement Approach?

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  • Ramos, Xavier

    (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)

  • Van de gaer, Dirk

    (Ghent University)

Abstract

Recent literature has suggested many ways of measuring equality of opportunity. We analyze in a systematic manner the various approaches put forth in the literature to show whether and to what extent different choices matter empirically. We use EU-SILC data for most European countries for 2005 and 2011. The choice between ex-ante and ex-post approaches is crucial and has a substantial influence on inequality of opportunity country orderings. Growth regressions also illustrate the relevance of conceptual choices. We only find significant negative effects for some direct parametric ex-ante measures.

Suggested Citation

  • Ramos, Xavier & Van de gaer, Dirk, 2017. "Is Inequality of Opportunity Robust to the Measurement Approach?," IZA Discussion Papers 11157, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp11157
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    1. Paolo Brunori & Guido Neidhöfer, 2021. "The Evolution of Inequality of Opportunity in Germany: A Machine Learning Approach," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 67(4), pages 900-927, December.
    2. Elisa Aracil & Elena Maria Diaz & Gonzalo Gómez-Bengoechea & Rosalía Mota & David Roch-Dupré, 2024. "Regional Socioeconomic Assessments with a Genetic Algorithm: An Application on Income Inequality Across Municipalities," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 173(2), pages 499-521, June.
    3. David Pérez-Mesa & Gustavo A. Marrero & Sara Darias-Curvo, 2020. "Child health inequality and opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers 557, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    4. Daniel Gerszon Mahler & Xavier Ramos, 2019. "Equality of Opportunity in Four Measures of Well‐Being," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 65(S1), pages 228-255, November.
    5. Rafael Carranza, 2023. "Upper and Lower Bound Estimates of Inequality of Opportunity: A Cross‐National Comparison for Europe," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 69(4), pages 838-860, December.
    6. José María Rentería, 2023. "Inequality of Educational Opportunity and Time-Varying Circumstances: Longitudinal Evidence from Peru," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 59(2), pages 258-278, February.
    7. Pérez-Mesa, David & Marrero, Gustavo A. & Darias-Curvo, Sara, 2021. "Child health inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa," MPRA Paper 108801, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Stefano Filauro & Flaviana Palmisano & Vito Peragine, 2023. "The Evolution of Inequality of Opportunity in Europe," Working Papers 644, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    9. Brock, J. Michelle, 2020. "Unfair inequality, governance and individual beliefs," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(3), pages 658-687.
    10. Kristof Bosmans & Z. Emel Öztürk, 2021. "Measurement of inequality of opportunity: A normative approach," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 19(2), pages 213-237, June.
    11. Balwant Singh Mehta & Siddharth Dhote & Ravi Srivastava, 2023. "Decomposition of Inequality of Opportunity in India: An Application of Data-Driven Machine Learning Approach," The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, Springer;The Indian Society of Labour Economics (ISLE), vol. 66(2), pages 439-469, June.
    12. Carmen Herrero & Antonio Villar, 2021. "Opportunity advantage between income distributions," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 19(4), pages 785-799, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    equality of opportunity; measurement; ex-ante; ex-post; direct approach; indirect approach; responsibility; effort; income; EU-SILC;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D3 - Microeconomics - - Distribution
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement

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