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Comparing global inequality of income and wealth

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  • James B. Davies
  • Anthony F. Shorrocks

Abstract

This paper is the first to compare global trends in income and wealth inequality this century. It is based on large income and wealth microdata samples designed to be representative of all countries in the world. Measured by the Gini coefficient, inequality between countries accounts for about two-thirds of global income inequality, but noticeably less— around one half—of wealth inequality. Broadly similar results are found for different years and different inequality indices, bar the share of the top 1 per cent.

Suggested Citation

  • James B. Davies & Anthony F. Shorrocks, 2018. "Comparing global inequality of income and wealth," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2018-160, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2018-160
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Sulekha Hembram & Sushil Kr. Haldar, 2021. "Revisiting global income convergence: 1990-2018 A disaggregated analysis," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 41(3), pages 952-974.
    4. Louis Chauvel, 2022. "The Extreme Wealth-Income Ratio (EWIR): the Joker Smile Curve (JSC) and the New Age of Extremes," LWS Working papers 39, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.

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