A note on the 'natural rate of subjective inequality' hypothesis and the approximate relationship between the Gini coefficient and the Atkinson index

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Harvey, J
• 署名单位: University of York - UK
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2004.05.002
• 发表日期: 2005
• 页码: 1021-1025
• 关键词: natural rate of subjective inequality; inequality indices; simulation

摘要

In a recent paper in this journal, Lambert et al. [J. Public Econ. 87 (2003) 1061] sought to establish the natural rate of subjective inequality (NRSI) hypothesis. Their statistical analysis, however, may have simply identified a relationship between the Gini coefficient and the Atkinson index, rather than confirm the existence of a NRSI. In this note, an approximate relationship between the Gini coefficient and Atkinson index is identified using simulation analysis. This finding does not appear to overturn the NRSI hypothesis and indicates the need for further investigation of this insightful and potentially far-reaching hypothesis. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.