The Long-run Determinants of Australian Income Inequality

Recent interest has been stimulated by the growth of income inequality in most developed countries during the 1980s and 1990s. However, considerable uncertainty still exists as to which factors have been the most important causes of this development. This article uses a measure of income inequality...

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Main Authors: Gaston, Noel, Rajaguru, G.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia 2009
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/16834
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author Gaston, Noel
Rajaguru, G.
author_facet Gaston, Noel
Rajaguru, G.
author_sort Gaston, Noel
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Recent interest has been stimulated by the growth of income inequality in most developed countries during the 1980s and 1990s. However, considerable uncertainty still exists as to which factors have been the most important causes of this development. This article uses a measure of income inequality derived from taxation statistics and a recently proposed method for testing long-run Granger non-causality to examine the key determinants of Australia’s inequality for the years 1970–2001. In line with popular concern, we find that globalisation and technological progress – defined as the global flow of information – has increased income inequality. In contrast, improved terms of trade have been equity-enhancing. Of the institutional determinants, de-unionisation has had an adverse effect on income inequality, where as higher minimum wages have reduced it.
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publishDate 2009
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-168342017-09-13T13:36:44Z The Long-run Determinants of Australian Income Inequality Gaston, Noel Rajaguru, G. Income inequality Long-run Granger Non-causality Recent interest has been stimulated by the growth of income inequality in most developed countries during the 1980s and 1990s. However, considerable uncertainty still exists as to which factors have been the most important causes of this development. This article uses a measure of income inequality derived from taxation statistics and a recently proposed method for testing long-run Granger non-causality to examine the key determinants of Australia’s inequality for the years 1970–2001. In line with popular concern, we find that globalisation and technological progress – defined as the global flow of information – has increased income inequality. In contrast, improved terms of trade have been equity-enhancing. Of the institutional determinants, de-unionisation has had an adverse effect on income inequality, where as higher minimum wages have reduced it. 2009 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/16834 10.1111/j.1475-4932.2009.00539.x Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia restricted
spellingShingle Income inequality
Long-run Granger Non-causality
Gaston, Noel
Rajaguru, G.
The Long-run Determinants of Australian Income Inequality
title The Long-run Determinants of Australian Income Inequality
title_full The Long-run Determinants of Australian Income Inequality
title_fullStr The Long-run Determinants of Australian Income Inequality
title_full_unstemmed The Long-run Determinants of Australian Income Inequality
title_short The Long-run Determinants of Australian Income Inequality
title_sort long-run determinants of australian income inequality
topic Income inequality
Long-run Granger Non-causality
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/16834