Inequality among World Citizens: 1820-1992

This paper investigates the distribution of well being among world citizens during the last two centuries. The estimates show that inequality of world distribution of income worsened from the beginning of the 19th century to World War II and after that seems to have stabilized or to have grown more...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American economic review 2002-09, Vol.92 (4), p.727-744
Main Authors: Bourguignon, François, Morrisson, Christian
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
19th century
20th century
Citizens
Countries
Economic conditions
Economic growth
Economic growth rate
Economic impact
Economic theory
Economics
Estimates
GDP
Gross Domestic Product
History
Income distribution
Income estimates
Income inequality
Income mobility
Industrial Revolution
Inequality
International
Life expectancy
Per capita
Population
Population growth
Poverty
Statistical analysis
Studies
Well-being
World War II
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Summary:This paper investigates the distribution of well being among world citizens during the last two centuries. The estimates show that inequality of world distribution of income worsened from the beginning of the 19th century to World War II and after that seems to have stabilized or to have grown more slowly. In the early 19th century most inequality was due to differences within countries; later, it was due to differences between countries. Inequality in longevity, also increased during the 19th century, but then was reversed in the second half of the 20th century, perhaps mitigating the failure of income inequality to improve in the last decades.
ISSN:0002-8282
1944-7981
DOI:10.1257/00028280260344443