Global Income Inequality by the Numbers : In History and Now
The paper presents an overview of calculations of global inequality, recently and over the long-run as well as main controversies and political and philosophical implications of the findings. It focuses in particular on the winners and losers of th...
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| Format: | Policy Research Working Paper |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2013
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2012/11/16920534/global-income-inequality-numbers-history-now---an-overview-- http://hdl.handle.net/10986/12117 |
| Summary: | The paper presents an overview of
calculations of global inequality, recently and over the
long-run as well as main controversies and political and
philosophical implications of the findings. It focuses in
particular on the winners and losers of the most recent
episode of globalization, from 1988 to 2008. It suggests
that the period might have witnessed the first decline in
global inequality between world citizens since the
Industrial Revolution. The decline however can be sustained
only if countries' mean incomes continue to converge
(as they have been doing during the past ten years) and if
internal (within-country) inequalities, which are already
high, are kept in check. Mean-income convergence would also
reduce the huge "citizenship premium" that is
enjoyed today by the citizens of rich countries. |
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