Economic Journal of Emerging Markets
Volume 9 Issue 2, 2017

Determinants of income inequality

Akhsyim Afandi (Department of Economics, Universitas Islam Indonesia, Yogyakarta)
Vebryna Permatasari Rantung (Department of Economics, Universitas Islam Indonesia, Yogyakarta)
Hazem Marashdeh (Department of Finance, Abu Dhabi University)



Article Info

Publish Date
01 Oct 2017

Abstract

This study examines whether changing economic structure, social conditions, and financialization are responsible for increased income inequality in Indonesia. By employing panel data of 32 provinces in Indonesia that spans from 2007 to 2013, it finds that structural change affects income inequality, increased share of finance reduces inequality, which is against the financialization hypothesis, and social conditions have expected effects on income inequality. While an increased share of both agriculture and service sectors tends to reduce inequality, an increased share of manufacture sector has no effect on inequality. This study finds that falling poverty increases inequality, implying that policy to reduce poverty might not be neutral for inequality and instead cannot prevent it from increasing. Since the higher the college participation rate the higher income inequality tends to be, it does not automatically imply that in order to reduce inequality we need to reduce the number of people who go to college. It might be the case that the college participation rate has not reached a turning point, below which its increase increases inequality, but beyond which its increases reduces inequality.

Copyrights © 2017






Journal Info

Abbrev

JEP

Publisher

Subject

Economics, Econometrics & Finance

Description

The Economic Journal of Emerging Markets (EJEM) is a peer-reviewed journal which provides a forum for scientific works pertaining to emerging market economies. Published every April and October, this journal welcomes original research papers on all aspects of economic development issues. The journal ...