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How Responsive is Investment in Schooling to Changes in Redistribution Policies and in Returns

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  • Ran Abramitzky
  • Victor Lavy

Abstract

This paper uses an unusual pay reform to test the responsiveness of investment in schooling to changes in redistribution schemes that increase the rate of return to education. We exploit an episode where different Israeli kibbutzim shifted from equal sharing to productivity-based wages in different years and find that students in kibbutzim that reformed earlier invested more in education. This effect is stronger for males and is mainly driven by students whose parents have lower levels of education. Our findings support the prediction that education is highly responsive to changes in the redistribution policy, especially for students from weaker backgrounds.

Suggested Citation

  • Ran Abramitzky & Victor Lavy, 2011. "How Responsive is Investment in Schooling to Changes in Redistribution Policies and in Returns," NBER Working Papers 17093, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:17093
    Note: CH DAE ED LS PE
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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