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Distribution in late development: The political economy of the Kuznets curse in Brazil

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  • Marc Morgan
  • Pedro Souza

Abstract

This paper proposes a novel assessment of the Kuznets curve for an underdeveloped country engaging in rapid late development. We mobilize new long-run data for Brazil, combining surveys, administrative records, and national accounts statistics, to compute macro-consistent income shares and other distributional indicators since the 1920s. Our estimates show a more nuanced picture for the traditional Kuznets hypothesis than what the existing literature has suggested.

Suggested Citation

  • Marc Morgan & Pedro Souza, 2025. "Distribution in late development: The political economy of the Kuznets curse in Brazil," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2025-2, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2025-2
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Leticia Arroyo Abad & Pablo Astorga Junquera, 2017. "Latin American earnings inequality in the long run," Cliometrica, Springer;Cliometric Society (Association Francaise de Cliométrie), vol. 11(3), pages 349-374, September.
    2. De Rosa, Mauricio & Flores, Ignacio & Morgan, Marc, 2024. "More unequal or not as rich? Revisiting the Latin American exception," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    3. Kingston, Jorge & Kingston, Lúcia Silva, 1972. "A Distribuição Da Renda No Brasil, 1960-70," Revista Brasileira de Economia - RBE, EPGE Brazilian School of Economics and Finance - FGV EPGE (Brazil), vol. 26(4), October.
    4. Marc Morgan, 2017. "Extreme and Persistent Inequality: New Evidence for Brazil Combining National Accounts, Surveys and Fiscal Data, 2001-2015," World Inequality Lab Working Papers halshs-02794605, HAL.
    5. Michalis Nikiforos, 2016. "Distribution-led growth in the long run," Review of Keynesian Economics, Edward Elgar Publishing, vol. 4(4), pages 391-408, October.
    6. Engerman,Stanley L. & Sokoloff,Kenneth L. With contributions by-Name:Haber,Stephen With contributions by-Name:Mariscal,Elisa V. With contributions by-Name:Zolt,Eric M., 2012. "Economic Development in the Americas since 1500," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107009554, November.
    7. Bruno Amable & Stefano Palombarini, 2023. "Multidimensional social conflict and institutional change," New Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(6), pages 942-957, November.
    8. Bruno Amable & Stefano Palombarini, 2009. "A neorealist approach to institutional change and the diversity of capitalism," Post-Print hal-00345887, HAL.
    9. Marc Morgan, 2017. "Extreme and Persistent Inequality: New Evidence for Brazil Combining National Accounts, Surveys and Fiscal Data, 2001-2015," Working Papers halshs-02794605, HAL.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Distribution; Development; Political economy; Kuznets; Brazil;
    All these keywords.

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