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Main Authors: Sánchez, Francisco José Zamudio, Machorro, Javier Jiménez, Ovalle, Roxana Arana, Silverio, Hildegardo Martínez
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.07538
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author Sánchez, Francisco José Zamudio
Machorro, Javier Jiménez
Ovalle, Roxana Arana
Silverio, Hildegardo Martínez
author_facet Sánchez, Francisco José Zamudio
Machorro, Javier Jiménez
Ovalle, Roxana Arana
Silverio, Hildegardo Martínez
contents This paper introduces the Relative Inequality Index at the Maximum (IDRM), a novel and intuitive measure designed to capture inequality within a population, such as income inequality. The index is based on the idea that individuals experience varying levels of inequality depending on their position within the distribution, particularly with respect to those at the top. The key assumption is that for individuals in lower positions, inequalities referenced to the top positions have greater impact on their well-being and the inequality relative to maximum is the most critical. The IDRM fulfills desirable theoretical properties which were used for its evaluation and comparison against widely accepted measures in inequality literature. From this perspective, the IDRM is shown to be as robust as traditional measures and outperforms the Gini and Dalton indices by satisfying eight out of nine key properties, including decomposability across population subgroups. In a comparative analysis using income data from 58 countries and microdata from Mexico, with the Gini, Theil, and Atkinson indices as benchmarks, the IDRM demonstrates superior consistency, sensitivity to inequality, reduced bias in grouped data, and enhanced precision. This index reflects the varying forms of income distribution, showing heightened sensitivity to the magnitude of inequality.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2409_07538
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Un índice discreto sensible a la desigualdad
Sánchez, Francisco José Zamudio
Machorro, Javier Jiménez
Ovalle, Roxana Arana
Silverio, Hildegardo Martínez
General Economics
Economics
91B82, 91D10, 62P20
This paper introduces the Relative Inequality Index at the Maximum (IDRM), a novel and intuitive measure designed to capture inequality within a population, such as income inequality. The index is based on the idea that individuals experience varying levels of inequality depending on their position within the distribution, particularly with respect to those at the top. The key assumption is that for individuals in lower positions, inequalities referenced to the top positions have greater impact on their well-being and the inequality relative to maximum is the most critical. The IDRM fulfills desirable theoretical properties which were used for its evaluation and comparison against widely accepted measures in inequality literature. From this perspective, the IDRM is shown to be as robust as traditional measures and outperforms the Gini and Dalton indices by satisfying eight out of nine key properties, including decomposability across population subgroups. In a comparative analysis using income data from 58 countries and microdata from Mexico, with the Gini, Theil, and Atkinson indices as benchmarks, the IDRM demonstrates superior consistency, sensitivity to inequality, reduced bias in grouped data, and enhanced precision. This index reflects the varying forms of income distribution, showing heightened sensitivity to the magnitude of inequality.
title Un índice discreto sensible a la desigualdad
topic General Economics
Economics
91B82, 91D10, 62P20
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.07538