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Income Distribution and the Size of the Informal Sector

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  • Diego Winkelried

    (St John's College, Cambridge)

Abstract

This paper studies the role of income distribution as a determinant of the size of the informal sector in an economy by relying on a channel whereby inequality affects the behaviour of aggregate demand and thus influences the incentives a firm has to become informal. It is further postulated that income distribution affects the response of the informal sector to different fiscal policies, either demand or supply-orientated. The main findings are that high inequality leads to a large informal sector, and that redistribution towards the middle class decreases the size of the informal sector and increases the capacity of fiscal instruments to reduce informality. Empirical evidence for Mexican cities is provided.

Suggested Citation

  • Diego Winkelried, 2005. "Income Distribution and the Size of the Informal Sector," Development and Comp Systems 0512005, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:wpa:wuwpdc:0512005
    Note: Type of Document - pdf; pages: 26
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    Cited by:

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    2. Aziz N. Berdiev & James W. Saunoris, 2019. "On the Relationship Between Income Inequality and the Shadow Economy," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 45(2), pages 224-249, April.
    3. Adoho, Franck M. & Doumbia, Djeneba, 2022. "Informal Sector Heterogeneity and Income Inequality: Evidence from The Democratic Republic of Congo," Journal of Economic Development, The Economic Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, vol. 47(4), pages 55-77, December.
    4. Adem Y. Elveren & Gökçer Özgür, 2016. "The Effect of Informal Economy on Income Inequality: Evidence from Turkey," Panoeconomicus, Savez ekonomista Vojvodine, Novi Sad, Serbia, vol. 63(3), pages 293-312, June.
    5. Reto Foellmi & Josef Zweim ller, 2010. "Mass versus Exclusive Goods, and Formal-Sector Employment," Diskussionsschriften dp1005, Universitaet Bern, Departement Volkswirtschaft.
    6. Andrew Samuel & Amy Farmer & Fabio Mendez, 2020. "Optimal regulation under imperfect enforcement: Permits, tickets, or both?," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 67(4), pages 420-441, September.
    7. Michiel Gerritse & Ana Isabel Moreno-Monroy, 2012. "Informal Sector and Manufacturing Location: In Search of the Missing Links," Spatial Economic Analysis, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(2), pages 179-201, June.
    8. Reto Foellmi & Josef Zweimüller, 2011. "Exclusive Goods and Formal-Sector Employment," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 3(1), pages 242-272, January.
    9. Masca, Simona-Gabriela & Chis, Diana-Maria, 2023. "Distributional implications of informal economy in the EU countries: Accounting for the spread of tax evasion benefits and cultural characteristics," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(PB).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Income distribution; market size; informal sector.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements

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