A controversial proposal concerning inequality measurement

An axiom system on a policy maker's preferences is proposed and shown to characterize the class of linear inequality measures. A measure for the policy maker's degree of “equality mindedness” is then developed. The essay concludes with an exploration of the interplay between the policy mak...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of economic theory 1988-04, Vol.44 (2), p.381-397
Main Author: Yaari, Menahem E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Economic inequality
Measurement
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Summary:An axiom system on a policy maker's preferences is proposed and shown to characterize the class of linear inequality measures. A measure for the policy maker's degree of “equality mindedness” is then developed. The essay concludes with an exploration of the interplay between the policy maker's preferences and the prevailing tax structure. The controversial aspect lies in an attempt to use the tax structure to retrieve the policy maker's preferences through the Principle of Equal Sacrifice.
ISSN:0022-0531
1095-7235
DOI:10.1016/0022-0531(88)90010-5