cfr

Global income inequalities(based on Worlds Apart, Princeton UP, 2005): 

Global income inequalities (based on Worlds Apart, Princeton UP, 2005) Branko Milanovic Council on Foreign Relations New York, December 13, 2005 Email: bmilanovic@worldbank.org

Two types of inequalities: 

Two types of inequalities Inequality between countries = international inequality Inequality between citizens of the world = global inequality

Two types of inequality illustrated : 

Two types of inequality illustrated International inequality Global inequalty

Inequalities, 1950-2000:: 

Inequalities, 1950-2000: Global Inequality International inequality

Why so few data points for global inequality? : 

Why so few data points for global inequality? For international inequality, you need only GDI per capita. The data easily go back to 1950-1960, and even further (1820). For global inequality, you need in addition distributions within countries (to assess everybody’s income). For China, USSR, most of Africa, household surveys are not available before mid-1980s.

What people agree and disagree: 

What people agree and disagree International inequality increased substantially after 1978-80 Global inequality is extremely high It is even higher (huge!) if we use actual dollars rather than PPP dollars Is there a trend in recent global inequality or not AGREE DISAGREE

Some history first: 

Some history first

Inequality in history, 1820-2000: 

Inequality in history, 1820-2000 Global International Based on Maddison, Bourguignon and Morrisson, and Milanovic Driven by the big bang of the Industrial revolution (and increase in the number of independent countries in 1960)

Composition of global inequality changed: from being mostly due to “class” (within-national), today it is mostly due to “location” (where people live; between-national): 

Composition of global inequality changed: from being mostly due to “class” (within-national), today it is mostly due to “location” (where people live; between-national) 1870 2000

A literary illustration of reduced within-national inequalities: Elizabeth’s dilemma: 

A literary illustration of reduced within-national inequalities: Elizabeth’s dilemma

Slide11: 

And increased differences between nations… (average country income in each region) West Asia Africa

Today: countries: 

Today: countries

Slide13: 

Parts of Africa where 2000 GDI per capita is less than in 1963 (180m people ) Poorer than during J.F. Kennedy US GDI per capita in the meantime doubled

Slide14: 

Four Worlds 2003 Borderlines in 2003: second world starts at $PPP 10,000; third at $PPP 5,000.

The key borders today: 

The key borders today First to fourth world: Greece vs. Macedonia and Albania; Spain vs. Morocco (25km) First to third world: US vs. Mexico; Germany vs. Poland; Austria vs. Hungary In 1960, the only key borders were Argentina and Uruguay (first) vs. Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia (third world), and Australia (first) vs. Indonesia (fourth)

Today: people: 

Today: people

The bottom line: 

The bottom line In PPP terms, the top 5 percent of world population controls one-third of world income. They make in 2 days what the poorest 5 percent make in a year. In dollar terms, the top 5 percent of world population controls almost one-half of world income. They make in 15 hours what the poorest 5 percent make in a year.

Slide20: 

0 20 40 60 80 100 100 quantiles of inc 0 5 10 15 20 group USA Germany Brazil Indon-R Russia Position of different groups in global income distribution (year 2002)

Population according to income of country where they live (2000): 

Population according to income of country where they live (2000) China India, Nigeria WEur, Japan USA Brazil, Russia Mexico Emptiness in the middle: only 230m people live in countries with GDI per capita between $PPP 10,000 and 20,000

Future evolution of global inequality: 

Future evolution of global inequality Equalizing force: China’s and India’s fast growth. They are poor and populous (although at some point their growth may become disequalizing if Africa continues to stagnate) Disequalizing force: Increased national inequality (particularly R/U gap) in China, India, elsewhere in Asia etc.

Does global inequality matter? : 

Does global inequality matter? NO, according to Ann Krueger (2002): “Poor people are desperate enough to improve their material conditions in absolute terms rather than to march up the income distribution. Hence it seems far better to focus on impoverishment than on inequality.”

Slide24: 

YES, according to Kuznets (1954) “…reduction of physical misery associated with low income and consumption levels…permit[s] an increase…of political tensions” BECAUSE “the political misery of the poor, the tension created by the observation of the much greater wealth of other communities…may have only increased.”

What may be the effects of global inequality?: 

What may be the effects of global inequality? Globalization increases awareness of differences in living standards (aspiration level changes; empirical studies show it) Leads to migration May lead to conflict (Jennifer Government)

We need some rules for global transfers: 

We need some rules for global transfers They should flow from a rich to a poor country. That is easy. But they have to satisfy the same rules as at the national level, i.e. transfers should be globally progressive, that is flow from a richer person to a poorer person.

In addition transfers have national income inequality implications: 

In addition transfers have national income inequality implications Progressive transfer at the global level and worsening national distributions (may not be politically sustainable)

Idea of global transfers: 

Idea of global transfers Transfers are no longer from state to state, or from inter-state organization to a state, but from global authority to citizens (change in paradigm) A natural complement to global tax authority is relationship with (poor) citizens, not (poor) states And in cash…

The new Agency: 

The new Agency Tax on commodities consumed by the rich people in rich countries Money collected by the Agency Aid in cash given to different poor categories of people in poor countries

Several key points: GCB: 

Several key points: GCB Symmetrical treatment of poor and rich countries (limited sovereignty for both: rich lose some tax-raising authority; poor govt cannot decide the use of funds) No loans, but grants (pure transfers) No projects, but cash to citizens No fine targeting, but broad categories Use NGOs and citizen groups