Within-group inequality in cross-national perspective

Arbeitspapier

In this research I assess within-group inequality - inequality occurring among otherwise similar individuals based on observed characteristics - in a cross-national comparative perspective. While scholarly interest in the within-group portion of inequality has grown over the past 25 years, virtually all studies focus on the US case. The current research shifts focus by assessing within-group inequality in a cross-national comparative study. I do so by constructing a unique dataset of country-level measures of within- and between-group inequality for annual market earnings using LIS microdata from 1.36 million full-time prime-age male and female workers nested in 143 country-years, drawn from 28 countries spanning 40 years. I then document and describe basic between-country and longitudinal trends in the relationship between total inequality and within-group inequality. I find that in nearly all countries in the LIS, within-group inequality is the primary driver of levels and trends in inequality. As inequality increases, so too does the relative importance of within-group inequality. However, institutional contexts matter, as continental European countries have lower relative and absolute levels of within-group inequality, independent of a variety of economic and human capital factors. Theoretical and substantive implications are discussed.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: LIS Working Paper Series ; No. 744

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): VanHeuvelen, Tom
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Luxembourg Income Study (LIS)
• (where): Luxembourg
• (when): 2018

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/203030
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:43 AM CET