Welfare-consistent inequality indices in changing populations: The marginal population replication axiom - A note

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Salas, R
• 署名单位: Complutense University of Madrid
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/S0047-2727(97)00031-5
• 发表日期: 1998
• 页码: 145-150
• 关键词: welfare-based inequality indices; changing populations; marginal population replication axiom

摘要

This note explores the performance of the welfare-based inequality indices under changing populations. We define the marginal population replication axiom, which implies that if we measure inequality in a H households economy and it merges an extra household with the equally-distributed equivalent income of the previous distribution, then social welfare should not change (and therefore inequality should be reduced). Classical relative inequality Atkinson indices satisfy this axiom and therefore are candidates to perform well when comparing inequality in changing populations. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.