TY - JOUR
T1 - Questions sans réponse sur l'augmentation des iné galités aux états-unis
AU - Gordon, Robert J.
AU - Dew-Becker, Ian
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - This paper provides a comprehensive survey on six aspects of rising inequality in the US: changes in labor's share, inequality at the bottom, inequality at the top, labor mobility, inequality in consumption as contrasted to inequality of income, and international differences in inequality, particularly at the top. We conclude that changes in labor's share play no role in rising inequality of labor income. Within the bottom 90 percent as documented by CPS data, movements in the 50-10 ratio are consistent with a role of decreased union density for men and of a decrease in the real minimum wage for women, particularly in 1980-86. There is little evidence on the effects of imports, and an ambiguous literature on immigration which implies a small overall impact on the wages of the average native American, a significant downward effect on high-school dropouts, and potentially a large impact on previous immigrants working in occupations in which immigrants specialize. The paper concludes that data on consumption inequality are too fragile to reach firm conclusions, and offers a perspective on international differences that blends institutional and market-driven explanations.
AB - This paper provides a comprehensive survey on six aspects of rising inequality in the US: changes in labor's share, inequality at the bottom, inequality at the top, labor mobility, inequality in consumption as contrasted to inequality of income, and international differences in inequality, particularly at the top. We conclude that changes in labor's share play no role in rising inequality of labor income. Within the bottom 90 percent as documented by CPS data, movements in the 50-10 ratio are consistent with a role of decreased union density for men and of a decrease in the real minimum wage for women, particularly in 1980-86. There is little evidence on the effects of imports, and an ambiguous literature on immigration which implies a small overall impact on the wages of the average native American, a significant downward effect on high-school dropouts, and potentially a large impact on previous immigrants working in occupations in which immigrants specialize. The paper concludes that data on consumption inequality are too fragile to reach firm conclusions, and offers a perspective on international differences that blends institutional and market-driven explanations.
KW - Income
KW - Inequalities
KW - US
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=66849091217&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=66849091217&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3917/reof.102.0417
DO - 10.3917/reof.102.0417
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:66849091217
SN - 1265-9576
VL - 102
SP - 417
EP - 465
JO - Revue de l'OFCE
JF - Revue de l'OFCE
IS - 3
ER -