Sufficientarianism and the Measurement of Inequality

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-173
Author(s):  
Rudolf Schuessler

Abstract What impact should sufficientarianism have on the measurement of inequality? Like other theories of justice, sufficientarianism influences how economic inequality is conceived. For the purpose of measurement, its standards of justice can be approximated by income-based thresholds of sufficiency. At which income level could a threshold of having enough be pegged in OECD countries? What would it imply for standard indicators of inequality, such as decile comparisons of cumulated income, income spreads, or the Gini coefficient? This paper suggests some answers to these questions, showing that sufficientarian ideas could make a difference with respect to the measurement of inequality in a society.

Author(s):  
C. Chameni Nembua

This chapter proposes a new class of inequality indices based on the Gini coefficient (or index). The properties of the indices are studied and are found to be regular, relative, and to satisfy the Pigou-Dalton transfer principle. A subgroup decomposition is performed, and the method is found to be similar to the one used by Dagum when decomposing the Gini index. The theoretical results are illustrated by case studies, using Cameroonian data.


Author(s):  
Bent Greve ◽  
Bent Greve

This chapter focuses on why inequality matters for welfare states, why we should have an interest in this topic, and how this is related to issues of populism and welfare chauvinism. This is done by trying to systematize the knowledge we have on why inequality matters for, and in relation to, economic growth, for health and for social cohesion. It also discusses why trickle-down economics do not work. The development in inequality is analysed by showing the development using traditional aspects such as the Gini coefficient, but also reflecting on, and showing, data on inequality in health and how this can be seen as connected to change in economic inequality.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-34
Author(s):  
Anna Sardiana

The purpose of this study is to analyze and determine the role of banking technology, specifically the use of electronic money in reducing economic inequality in Indonesia. Gini coefficient analysis was used as method in data analysis to measure economic inequality. The data used in the study was secondary data sourced from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) and Bank Indonesia (BI). The comparison is done using the Gini coefficient calculation method. The results of  analysis in this study indicate that there is an increase that causes economic inequality in Indonesia regarding the use of server-based electronic money. The findings in this study also indicate that chip-based electronic money which is a product of banking technology can reduce the level of economic inequality in Indonesia.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 455-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Wildman

Abstract Objective To determine the association between income inequality and COVID-19 cases and deaths per million in OECD countries. Methods Cross-sectional regression methods are used to model the relationship between income inequality, as measured by the Gini coefficient, and COVID-19 reported cases and deaths per-million. Results The results demonstrate a significant positive association between income inequality and COVID-19 cases and death per million in all estimated models. A 1% increase in the Gini coefficient is associated with an approximately 4% increase in cases per-million and an approximately 5% increase in deaths per-million. Conclusions The results demonstrate that countries with high levels of income inequality have performed significantly worse when dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak in terms cases and deaths. Income inequality is a proxy for many elements of socioeconomic disadvantage that may contribute to the spread of, and deaths from, COVID-19. These include poor housing, smoking, obesity and pollution. Policy Implications The findings suggest the importance of closing the gap in income inequality and improving the health and incomes of the poorest and most vulnerable groups.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 68-68
Author(s):  
Mukesh Parmar

Abstract The studies relating to measurement of compression of Mortality in India is scarce. Most of the studies relating to mortality in India are focused on either life expectancy, or adult, and child mortality. We have used methods suggested by Kannisto (2000) and Canudos (2008) to measure the compression of mortality phenomenon for India for four decades viz. 1970-2015. Dispersion measures like simple mean, median, modal age at death; and some complicated measures like life disparity, standard deviation above mode, standard deviation in highest quartile, Interquartile range, Gini coefficient, AID and C-family were calculated for India from 1970-2015. We used the age specific death rates from abridged Life tables given by Sample Registration System published by Govt. of India. Our results show that inequality in mortality is decreasing in general but the gap between male and female is increasing. There was an average of three years difference in mean and modal age at death between male females in 2011-15. Overall, mean, median and modal age at death has increased in four decades but other inequality measures like Gini coefficient, AID, Standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation has decreased in four decades in India. C50 indicator, which indicates that 50 percent of deaths are happening in that age interval, declined from 26 years to 20 years for males and 27 years to 17 years for females, thus indicating the rate of compression of mortality is higher for females than males in India during 1970-75 till 2011-15.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Constantin Kaplaner ◽  
Yves Steinebach

Abstract Punctuated Equilibrium Theory posits that policy-making is generally characterized by long periods of stability that are interrupted by short periods of fundamental policy change. The literature converged on the measure of kurtosis and L-kurtosis to assess these change patterns. In this letter, we critically discuss these measures and propose the Gini coefficient as a (1) comparable, but (2) more intuitive, and (3) more precise measure of “punctuated” change patterns.


2014 ◽  
Vol 152 ◽  
pp. 214-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Gabriel Rodríguez ◽  
Rafael Salas

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