scholarly journals Competition, Income Distribution, and the Middle Class: An Experimental Study

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernhard Kittel ◽  
Fabian Paetzel ◽  
Stefan Traub

We study the effect of competition on income distribution by means of a two-stage experiment. Heterogeneous endowments are earned in a contest, followed by a surplus-sharing task. The experimental test confirms our initial hypothesis that the existence of a middle class is as effective as institutional hurdles in limiting the power of the less able in order to protect the more able players from being expropriated. Furthermore, majoritarian voting with a middle class involves fewer bargaining impasses than granting veto rights to the more able players and, therefore, is more efficient.

1983 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 439-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederick Wiseman ◽  
Marianne Schafer ◽  
Richard Schafer

The authors describe an experimental study designed to determine the effects of a monetary incentive on (1) a potential respondent's decision to participate in a central-location interview, (2) that person's expressed willingness to participate in a future survey, and (3) the cost of data collection.


2019 ◽  
pp. 50-65
Author(s):  
Francesco Farina ◽  
Chiara Assunta Ricci

The scientific evaluation of the relationship between growth, redistribution, and the income share of the middle class is still in its infancy. This article aims to investigate how the drivers of economic growth impinge on market income distribution and how the middle class has a role in deciding the level of redistribution. Our strategy is to dodge the reverse causality problem, stemming from the bi-directional relation between income distribution and growth, by exploiting the peculiar feature of different indicators of income dispersion focused on the middle income group. The findings reveal that market forces and redistributive policies are both pivotal in shaping the evolution of income dispersion and in particular the income share of the middle class, over the growth process. The ability of redistributive policies to counteract the ongoing increase in income inequality seems to depend not only on the political pressure exerted by an impoverishing median voter but also on the expansion of fiscal revenues after sustained Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.


2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 766-775 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Wang ◽  
Yuanqiang Cai ◽  
Hongtao Fu ◽  
Xiuqing Hu ◽  
Ying Cai ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 209-222
Author(s):  
Rosa María García-Fernández ◽  
Candela Ruiz Tobar

The main objective of this paper is to empirically examine the dynamics of income distribution in Spain between 2008 and 2018 using SILC data. We consider the concepts of polarization and inequality as different aspects of the income distribution. To compute both aspects, we use the measures of Palacios-González and García-Fernández (2012) and the Gini index respectively. Findings indicate that polarization and inequality fluctuate around an upward trend during these years in Spain. Furthermore, the lower and middle income households have been more adversely affected than those with higher incomes, and the middle class has not benefited from the economic growth in Spain.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 4937
Author(s):  
Guangyu Li ◽  
Luping Wang ◽  
Chaowei Wang ◽  
Chang’an Wang ◽  
Ping Wu ◽  
...  

In this paper, coal gasification characteristics in the reductor were investigated in a full-scale two-stage pressurized entrained-flow gasifier, which has been seldom conducted previously. The present study aimed at elucidating the effects of gasifying agent concentration, coal input rate, and operation period under full reductor load on the performance of a utility two-stage pressurized entrained-flow gasifier for the first time. When the steam input in the combustor was raised from 3318 kg/h to 5722 kg/h, the total outputs of H2, CO, and CO2 were increased by 1765 Nm3/h and 2063 Nm3/h, respectively, while the CH4 output was decreased by 49 Nm3/h. The coal conversion rate was minimal at low steam input. In addition, more coal gasified in the reductor could increase the output of CH4, while CH4 could reach 1.24% with the coal input in the range of 8000–10,000 kg/h. The present work can offer a further understanding of the gasification performance in the reductor of the full-scale two-stage pressurized entrained-flow gasifier, and motivates the potential for clean utilization of coal resource.


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