Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-20-2011

Keywords

Stevenson Center, income inequality

Abstract

Previous literature relative to income inequality has made available a number of demographic, economic, and policy determinants. This paper, using growth transmission literature as a basis for analysis, develops an argument showing that these results are biased and unreliable due to an omitted variable bias and a model misspecification. The model developed in this paper corrects for the bias by including a missing spatial factor that accounts for a contagion effect experienced by neighboring states. Income inequality is shown to be transmissible through multiple channels and may therefore be combatted only through a concerted group effort, rather than through individual state policy efforts.

Download

Included in

Economics Commons

Share

COinS