Income Inequality, Human Capital, and Income Growth: Evidence from a State-Level VAR Analysis

Mark Frank

Atlantic Economic Journal, 2009, vol. 37, issue 2, 173-185

Abstract: We use Granger causality and impulse response analysis to examine the relationship between income inequality, human capital attainment, and income growth using annual state-level data over the period 1929–2000. We find consistent evidence that the income share of the top decile Granger-causes income growth, but only weak evidence that income growth Granger-causes the top decile income share. Moreover, an impulse response analysis indicates that income growth responds negatively to permanent changes in the income share of the top decile. These findings appear to have important regional variations, however, with the more densely populated Eastern states showing the strongest associations. We also find evidence that years of schooling may Granger-cause income levels, but little evidence that years of schooling Granger-causes the top decile income share. Copyright International Atlantic Economic Society 2009

Keywords: Income inequality; Economic growth; Human capital; U.S. states; D60; I00; O40; R10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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DOI: 10.1007/s11293-009-9172-z

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