Revisiting the trends in global inequality

Carlos Gradín ()

World Development, 2024, vol. 179, issue C

Abstract: I analyze trends in global income distribution since 1950 using a new companion WIID dataset with standardized country income percentiles. I investigate the robustness of these trends with respect to key data choices, as well as the degree to which the inequality trend depends on specific distributional views (such as the use of absolute versus relative inequality, or relative emphasis at the bottom versus the top). The results show a robust increase in absolute inequality, along with a more nuanced trend in relative inequality, with a very robust decline after 2000 that was interrupted by the COVID crisis but is expected to continue at least until 2028.

Keywords: Global inequality; Income distribution; World Income Inequality Database (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D31 D63 I31 O15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:179:y:2024:i:c:s0305750x24000779

DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2024.106607

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