Contribution of the determinants of income inequality in Guatemala

Alejos, Luis Alejandro (2003): Contribution of the determinants of income inequality in Guatemala.

Abstract

This paper decomposes income inequality in Guatemala in factors related to human capital, ethnic and gender discrimination, the occupational structure, and non-labour income. The method proposed by Fields (2002) is used to carry out this decomposition. The empirical results show a significant variation in the contribution between the determinants at a national level, and those of each socio-economic group in which the sample is divided. It is found that the most heterogeneous group is that of agriculture and livestock workers. Nonetheless, the role of education as one of the main determinants of income inequality is persistent across the sample.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Guatemala; income inequality; education; decomposition
• Subjects: D - Microeconomics > D3 - Distribution > D31 - Personal Income, Wealth, and Their Distributions; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J3 - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs > J31 - Wage Level and Structure ; Wage Differentials

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