Social security, income inequality and growth

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
GILLES LE GARREC

AbstractIn most industrial countries, public pension systems redistribute from workers to retired people, not from high-income to low-income earners. They are close actuarial fairness. However, they are not all equivalent. In particular, some pension benefits are linked to full lifetime average earnings, while others are only linked to partial earnings history. In the latter case, we then show in this article that an actuarially fair pay-as-you-go pension system can both reduce lifetime income inequality and enhance economic growth. We also shed light on the dilemma between inequality and economic growth in retirement systems: greater progressivity results in less lifetime inequlity but also less growth.

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 79-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morteza Nemati ◽  
Ghasem Raisi

Nowadays, improvement in income distribution and poverty eradication and hence low inequality are served as the main objectives of economic and social development strategy even prior than primary tasks of governments. to manifest importance of income distribution, some economists adopt income inequality and income distribution in society as criteria for economic system of the community, although these criteria and measures are theoretical for the economic system and this varies from the perspective of different people, however, it denotes on  importance of income distribution among individuals. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of economic growth on income inequality in the selection of low-income developing countries.To this end, using panel data and data for 28 developing countries over the period 1990-2010 the relationship between GDP and the Gini coefficient was examined. The results indicate that as per hypothesis Kuznets in the early stages of growth, income inequality increases and then it declines in later stage.


2005 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-34
Author(s):  
Chanyong Park ◽  
Khalid Ikram

This case study analyzed how Korea achieved rapid economic growth with i.t1ere-JSing equity and poverty aJlcviarion. Korean GDP per capita increased 110 times and absolute poverty rate dccn.:ased from 48.3 percent to 9.8 percent l:x:tween 196 l and 2001. Ir is true to say in rhe Korean case that the most efiecrive measure in reduction of the absolute pwerty level has been to make the economic pie biggcr. It is called growth-firsr~istrihution-larcr principle and brought abJut economic success hy overcoming a sc:vere shortage of natural endowments. TI1e Korean government prioritized certain development-led industries in order to accelerate economic μ;ro\\•th. It was called '"imbalanced development strate,gy" and assessed as being more effective than "balanced development strategy" within the limited budget for ernnomic development. Although income inequality became aggravated Jue to the grmvrh-first polity and imbalanced strate,gy, the sizl' of the economic pie increased drastically. The income levels of middle and low income households increased to such an extent that much income inequality could l:x: rolernted. le can be said that in Korea. rapid economic growth raised welfare levels during rhe period between the l 960s and the 1990s even as income inequality worsened. Korea ran into serious economic difficulties in late 1997. The poverty rates rose sharply from 7.67 rercem in 19'-)7 to 14.28 pen:ent in ·19'-)8. TI1e Korean govemrnenr w1dertook various anti-poverty programs designed to ease the impan of ma-.s lay-offS by implementing a new public assistance program and expanded the coverage of sx·ial insuranu.c:. In addition, hwnan resource development programs \Vere intrOOuced thar enhanced the access of the vulnerable class to the labor market by laying stress on labor welfare, raking mea,ures to protect irregtUar employees, and extending the application of the minimum wage system to all industries. Thanks to these efforts of the government, the p.>verty rates have decreased since 1999. 1bis study has led us to six tentative but useful lessons learned from the Korean success to lx applied to ocher developing countries: establishment of a clear objective of development and. the cornmirmenr of authorities; r,crn.ptive sdt·ction of rtprcscntative kx:omotive engines for rapid economic gro¥.-th and properly designed management; lx.'St investment in human rt'Source development; fair land reform and rural development; job creation and expansion of employment; and building-up of country's capacity to implement plans and projects expeditiously within budgeted costs.


2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 130-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elin Halvorsen ◽  
Axel West Pedersen

In this article, we use an advanced microsimulation model to study the distributional effects of the reformed Norwegian pension system with a particular focus on gender equality. The reformed Norwegian system is based on the notional defined contribution (NDC)-formula with fixed contribution/accrual rates over the active life-phase and with accumulated pension wealth being transformed into an annuity upon retirement. A number of redistributive components are built into the system: a unisex annuity divisor, a ceiling on annual earnings, generous child credits, a possibility for widows/widowers to inherit pension rights from a deceased spouse, a targeted guarantee pensions with higher benefit rates to single pensioners compared to married/cohabitating pensioners, and finally a tax system that is particularly progressive in its treatment of pensioners and pension income. Taking complete actuarial fairness as the point of departure, we conduct a stepwise analysis to investigate how these different components of the National Insurance pension system impact on the gender gap in pensions and on general (Gini) inequality in the distribution of pension income within a cohort of pensioners. Our analysis concentrates on one birth cohort – individuals born in 1963 – and we study three different outcomes: the distribution of annual pensions early in retirement (at age 70), the distribution of the total sum of pension benefits received over retirement, and the distribution of the average annual pension benefits received over the retirement phase. In addition, we look at three alternative income concepts. These are personal income, equivalised household income, and finally an original income concept developed for this study: personal income adjusted for the economies of scale enjoyed by couple households.


Author(s):  
Carlo Mazzaferro

Abstract Moving from a Defined Benefit (DB) to a Notional Defined Contribution (NDC) pension formula creates significant re-distributive effects. We estimate the amount and the intensity of these effects in the case of the Italian transition to NDC, which began in 1995. Based on administrative data of the main Italian pension scheme (FPLD), we study the evolution of yearly inequality within old-age pension benefits. Furthermore, we study the adequacy and the actuarial fairness of the pension system, by estimating the replacement rates and the Net Present Value Ratio distribution for workers who retired in the period 1996–2019. Our results show that the very generous interpretation of acquired rights determined by the 1995 reform has contributed to maintaining a high level of adequacy and a significant level of intergenerational imbalance. The financial costs of this imbalance are estimated and its extent is significant.


1970 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-123
Author(s):  
SMA Islam

The study of inequality and economic growth to the developing countries are now a days a comprehensive issue since the growth stimulate the standard of living to the poor people and accordingly reduce income inequality. The improvement of inequality and growth may reduce the social movement to the government and may keep the economic and social integrity amongst the different ethnic groups by efficient resource allocation and income redistribution in Bangladesh. The objective of this research is to assess long term relationship between inequality and growth in Bangladesh with a methodology of Kuznets pattern inverted U hypothesis first introduced by Simon Kuznets since 1955. The popular concept of Kuznets hypothesis suggests that as economic growth occurs, income inequality first increase and then decline after a certain turning point. The study of Kuznets hypothesis is popular to the international economic environment rather than domestic, especially to the developing countries where the per capita GDP is below the level of world average. This study found the evidence that the presumption of Kuznets hypothesis has satisfied in the economy of Bangladesh in national level. In low income countries, structural adjustment is necessary to satisfy the Kuznets hypothesis. Keywords: Kuznets Hypothesis; Inequality; Growth DOI: 10.3329/jbau.v7i1.4973 J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 7(1): 117-123, 2009


2008 ◽  
Vol 47 (4II) ◽  
pp. 727-743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amina Tabassum ◽  
M. Tariq Majeed

The 20th century has witnessed unequalled success in improving the living standard of people in most part of the world. According to World Bank annual Statistical reports, poverty has declined significantly in developing countries over the past twenty years but the progress has been uneven. The number of people living in poverty fell from 1.5 billion in 1981 to 1.1 billion in 2001. However, many low-income developing countries are still trapped in vicious circle of poverty. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the number of poor rose from 41 percent to 46 percent between 1981 to 2001.While in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the numbers of poor people have risen to around 20 percent in 2001.1 Therefore; reduction of widely scattered poverty is the most challenging goal for low income developing countries. Economic growth is considered to be a powerful force for reducing poverty. High and sustained economic growth increases the labor demand and wages which in return will reduce poverty. Similarly, better earnings as a result of reduction in poverty lead to increase productivity and growth. But the extent of poverty reduction as a result of economic growth depends on how the distribution of income changes with economic growth and on initial Inequalities in income. If income inequality increases, then economic growth does not lead to a significant poverty reduction. Many developing countries achieved high growth rates in different periods but poverty does not reduce significantly in these periods due to increase in income inequalities. Most South and East Asian economies grew at higher per capita rates since early 1970 along with rise in income inequality over time. In contrast, Latin American countries grew by less than the half of average growth rates in South and East Asia while maintaining high income inequality.2 The differences in income inequality at a given rate of growth require that efforts to reduce poverty by stimulating growth are not sufficient and need to be complemented by efforts to reduce income inequalities.


1994 ◽  
Vol 33 (4I) ◽  
pp. 327-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard G. Lipsey

I am honoured to be invited to give this lecture before so distinguished an audience of development economists. For the last 21/2 years I have been director of a project financed by the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and composed of a group of scholars from Canada, the United States, and Israel.I Our brief is to study the determinants of long term economic growth. Although our primary focus is on advanced industrial countries such as my own, some of us have come to the conclusion that there is more common ground between developed and developing countries than we might have first thought. I am, however, no expert on development economics so I must let you decide how much of what I say is applicable to economies such as your own. Today, I will discuss some of the grand themes that have arisen in my studies with our group. In the short time available, I can only allude to how these themes are rooted in our more detailed studies. In doing this, I must hasten to add that I speak for myself alone; our group has no corporate view other than the sum of our individual, and very individualistic, views.


Author(s):  
Taras Malyshivskyi ◽  
Volodymyr Stefinin

The article examines the relationship between attracting foreign capital in the form of foreign direct investment and ensuring economic development. In particular, the analysis of the current structure of the economy is indicated, its raw material character is pointed out and, based on other researches, the necessity of its reform is substantiated, as Ukraine will remain a low-income country if the current trend continues. This is due to the fact that countries with a raw material structure of the economy are characterized by a low level of economic complexity, and therefore are not able to generate high levels of income in society. As a result, the expediency of stimulating the attraction of investment resources into the country’s economy, in particular in the form of foreign direct investment, is substantiated. The dynamics of attracting foreign direct investment to Ukraine and a number of other countries for the period from 1991 to 2019 is analyzed and the key negative factors that deter foreign investors from investing in the economy of Ukraine are indicated. As a result of the analysis, divergent trends in the economic development of Ukraine and other analyzed countries (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, Romania, Hungary) were identified, which contributed to economic stagnation and restrained economic growth and development. Taking into account the analysis, as well as based on the concept of investment and innovation growth, it is proposed to use the experience of Israel to improve the country’s investment attractiveness and stimulate foreign capital inflows by adapting the Yozma program to Ukrainian realities. According to our estimates, the adaptation of this program to the Ukrainian economy will attract about $ 350 million over a five-year period of venture capital alone. In addition, programs such as YOSMA can also be implemented at the regional or even local level. We believe that the use of this tool will improve the investment attractiveness of the country, as well as provide sufficient financial resources to modernize the domestic economy and ensure rapid economic growth.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1780
Author(s):  
Chima M. Menyelim ◽  
Abiola A. Babajide ◽  
Alexander E. Omankhanlen ◽  
Benjamin I. Ehikioya

This study evaluates the relevance of inclusive financial access in moderating the effect of income inequality on economic growth in 48 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) for the period 1995 to 2017. The findings using the Generalised Method of Moments (sys-GMM) technique show that inclusive financial access contributes to reducing inequality in the short run, contrary to the Kuznets curve. The result reveals a negative effect of financial access on the relationship between income inequality and economic growth. There is a positive net effect of inclusive financial access in moderating the impact of income inequality on economic growth. Given the need to achieve the Sustainable Development Targets in the sub-region, policymakers and other stakeholders of the economy must design policies and programmes that would enhance access to financial services as an essential mechanism to reduce income disparity and enhance sustainable economic growth.


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