Inflation and Income Inequality in Developed and Developing Countries

Journal of Economic Studies, Forthcoming

Posted: 17 May 2019

See all articles by Sima Siami-Namini

Sima Siami-Namini

Texas Tech University, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Students

Darren Hudson

Texas Tech University

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: April 13, 2019

Abstract

The main objective of this article is to investigate both linear and nonlinear effects of inflation on income inequality and to test the Kuznets hypothesis using panel data of 24 developed countries (DCs) and 66 developing countries (LDCs) observed over the period of 1990 to 2014. Additionally, we explore the short- and long-run Granger causality relationship between inflation and income inequality using the Toda-Yamamoto (1995) procedure and a vector error correction model (VECM) approach. The existence of a nonlinear relationship between inflation and income inequality is confirmed implying as inflation rises income inequality decreases. Income inequality then reaches a minimum and then starts rising again. The findings of this article show the existence of Kuznets' 'U-shaped' hypothesis between income inequality and real GDP per capita in DCs group, and the existence of Kuznets' inverted 'U-shaped' hypothesis for LDCs group. The results indicate that there is no bidirectional Granger causality between inflation and income inequality in the short-run, but, there is bidirectional Granger causality in the long-run for both the DCs and LDCs group. The results help us to assess the effectiveness of monetary policy in reducing income inequality in both the DCs and LDCs group. As a policy implication, monetary policy is often aimed at controlling the annual rate of inflation in the long-run with a short-run focus on reducing output gaps and creating employment. However, managing inflation may have implications for income inequality.

Keywords: Inflation, Income Inequality, Kuznets Hypothesis, Panel Data Approach

JEL Classification: B22, B23, C22, C23, E52, O11, O23

Suggested Citation

Siami-Namini, Sima and Hudson, Darren, Inflation and Income Inequality in Developed and Developing Countries (April 13, 2019). Journal of Economic Studies, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3371575

Sima Siami-Namini (Contact Author)

Texas Tech University, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Students

TX 79409-2132
United States

Darren Hudson

Texas Tech University ( email )

Suite 167, 2625 Memorial Circle
TTU Administration
Lubbock, TX 79409
United States

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