Measuring inequality in the Middle East

Alvaredo, Facundo; Assouad, Lydia; Piketty, Thomas

doi:10.4324/9781315103969-16

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Nonetheless, these configurations converge on the same prototypical model of relative deprivation, whereby individual contributions to inequality are based on individual i diversity from other individuals j richer or poorer. As a result, this model and its configurations are ultimately poorly sensitive to changes in income and to whether pairwise differences are positive or negative (Alvaredo and Piketty, 2014 ; Atkinson et al, 2011 ; Ceriani and Vermea, 2015 ; Cowell and Ebert, 2004 ). The theoretical and empirical limitations of the Gini Index and relative deprivation thus rise to the fore.…”

Section: Problems With Relative Measures Of Inequality and Povertymentioning

confidence: 99%

Reassessing the econometric measurement of inequality and poverty: toward a cost-of-living approach

2023

Humanit Soc Sci Commun

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The econometric measurement of inequality and poverty in advanced capitalist economies has been preoccupied with aggregate measures of relative deprivation, namely, the Gini Index and a relative poverty rate, both of which are based on economic distances from the population median. Using the case of Hong Kong, this article demonstrates the limitations of relative measures: the Gini Index masks social mobility and the relative poverty line understates actual poverty. This article argues instead for a cost-of-living approach to measure poverty, where the poverty line is defined as the cost of essential goods and services. A cost-of-living approach produces a poverty line of HK$28,815 and attendant poverty rate of 44.47% in 2020, nearly double the poverty line of HK$13,450 and poverty rate of 23.6% according to the conventional relative measure of the poverty line set to 50% of median household income—capturing a shortfall of 551,400 poor households that have been overlooked by relative measures.

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Section: Problems With Relative Measures Of Inequality and Povertymentioning

confidence: 99%

Reassessing the econometric measurement of inequality and poverty: toward a cost-of-living approach

2023

Humanit Soc Sci Commun

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“…This pattern of favoring the richest people in society led to a situation where, pre-pandemic, half of total income went to the top 10% while the bottom half only received 11%. 19 The pandemic was a bonanza for the rich, who saw their net wealth increase by at least 60% from 2019 to 2022, while billionaires saw their wealth increase by 22%. 20 This is in sharp contrast to the remaining 90% of the population, who have experienced sharp declines in their incomes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Middle East and North Africa Gap: Prosperity for the rich, austerity for the rest

Kentikelenis,

Mechmech,

Bouzaiene

et al. 2023

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This briefing paper examines growing inequality in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, focusing on Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. It examines the lack of adequate and just taxation systems across the region, particularly wealth taxes. This limits governments' fiscal space and their spending on public services, resulting in gender discrimination and the widening of the MENA inequality gap to a chasm.The rich must pay their fair share. Austerity in the MENA region cannot become the norm. Taxing the profits of the region's richest people will provide critical recourses that are currently lacking but would begin to close the chasm between the rich and the rest.

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Covid-19, public health and social policy in MENA

Messkoub¹

2021

Area Development and Policy

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Covid-19 had major socio-economic impacts on the populations and societies of Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries. Government reactions depended on their public health institutions/infrastructures, official ideologies and understanding of the situation, as well as wars/conflicts and sanctions. To counter the impact of the pandemic, countries adopted a combination of cash payments to the poor, furlough schemes and financial support to employers. But public health services in most countries have been poorly resourced to cope with the pandemic. Considering that most countries are characterized by inequality in the distribution of income/wealth, entitlement and access to health services and social protection, states need to reorientate public expenditure towards public health and the reduction of inequality.

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Measuring inequality in the Middle East

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

Reassessing the econometric measurement of inequality and poverty: toward a cost-of-living approach

Reassessing the econometric measurement of inequality and poverty: toward a cost-of-living approach

The Middle East and North Africa Gap: Prosperity for the rich, austerity for the rest

Covid-19, public health and social policy in MENA

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