Inequality is Bad for the Poor

50 Pages Posted: 19 Aug 2005

Date Written: August 2005

Abstract

It has been argued that inequality should be of little concern in poor countries on the grounds that (1) absolute poverty in terms of consumption (or income) is the overriding issue in poor countries, and (2) the only thing that really matters to reducing absolute income poverty is the rate of economic growth. The author takes (1) as given but questions (2). He argues that there are a number of ways in which the extent of inequality in a society, and how it evolves over time, influences the extent of poverty today and the prospects for rapid poverty reduction in the future.

Suggested Citation

Ravallion, Martin, Inequality is Bad for the Poor (August 2005). World Bank Policy Research Working Paper No. 3677, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=780485 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.780485

Martin Ravallion (Contact Author)

Georgetown University ( email )

Washington, DC 20057
United States

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