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Corruption, Income Inequality, and Poverty in the United States

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  • Dincer, Oguzhan C.
  • Gunalp, Burak
Abstract
In this study we analyze the effects of corruption on income inequality and poverty. Our analysis advances the existing literature in four ways. First, instead of using corruption indices assembled by various investment risk services, we use an objective measure of corruption: the number of public officials convicted in a state for crimes related to corruption. Second, we use all commonly used inequality and poverty measures including various Atkinson indexes, Gini index, standard deviation of the logarithms, relative mean deviation, coefficient of variation, and the poverty rate defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Third, we minimize the problems which are likely to arise due to data incomparability by examining the differences in income inequality, and poverty across U.S. states. Finally, we exploit both time series and cross sectional variation in the data. We find robust evidence that an increase in corruption increases income inequality and poverty.

Suggested Citation

  • Dincer, Oguzhan C. & Gunalp, Burak, 2008. "Corruption, Income Inequality, and Poverty in the United States," Knowledge, Technology, Human Capital Working Papers 37848, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:feemkt:37848
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.37848
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Mongi Lassoued, 2021. "Control of corruption, microfinance, and income inequality in MENA countries: evidence from panel data," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 1(7), pages 1-19, July.
    3. Sulemana, Iddisah & Kpienbaareh, Daniel, 2018. "An empirical examination of the relationship between income inequality and corruption in Africa," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 27-42.
    4. Nicholas Apergis & Oguzhan Dincer & James Payne, 2010. "The relationship between corruption and income inequality in U.S. states: evidence from a panel cointegration and error correction model," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 145(1), pages 125-135, October.
    5. Muhammad Shahid Hassan & Samra Bukhari & Noman Arshed, 2020. "Competitiveness, governance and globalization: What matters for poverty alleviation?," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 3491-3518, April.
    6. Gaëlle Tatiana TIMBA & Douzounet MALLAYE & Urbain Thierry YOGO, 2015. "Oil Rent and Income Inequality in Developing Economies: Are They Friends or Foes?," Working Papers 201502, CERDI.
    7. Douzounet Mallaye & Gaëlle Tatiana Timba & Urbain Thierry Yogo, 2015. "Oil Rent and Income Inequality in Developing Economies: Are They Friends or Foes?," CERDI Working papers halshs-01100843, HAL.
    8. Sazzadul Arefin, 2019. "Geographic Endowment, Corruption, and Economic Development," Business and Economic Research, Macrothink Institute, vol. 9(1), pages 1-32, March.
    9. Humna Ahsan & Keith Blackburn, 2015. "Human capital and income distribution in a model of corruption," Centre for Growth and Business Cycle Research Discussion Paper Series 208, Economics, The University of Manchester.
    10. Lu, Juan & Li, He, 2023. "The impact of environmental corruption on green consumption: A quantitative analysis based on China's Judicial Document Network and Baidu Index," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    11. Mark Edem Kunawotor & Godfred Alufar Bokpin & Charles Barnor, 2020. "Drivers of income inequality in Africa: Does institutional quality matter?," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 32(4), pages 718-729, December.
    12. Ambar, Rabnawaz, 2015. "Corruption, Inequality and Economic Growth," MPRA Paper 70375, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2015.
    13. Julius Idialu Ikharehon & Nosa Omoregie, 2015. "Corruption and Poverty Challenges in Nigeria," Indian Journal of Commerce and Management Studies, Educational Research Multimedia & Publications,India, vol. 6(1), pages 91-97, January.
    14. Salah Alnahdi, 2020. "The Impact of Corruption on Healthcare Services: Empirical Evidence from the MENA Region," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 10(5), pages 8-15.
    15. Younes Nademi, 2018. "The resource curse and income inequality in Iran," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(3), pages 1159-1172, May.
    16. Marco Pani, 2011. "Hold your nose and vote: corruption and public decisions in a representative democracy," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 148(1), pages 163-196, July.
    17. Paulo Peixoto & Vítor João Pereira Domingues Martinho & Paulo Mourao, 2022. "Corruption and Inflation in Agricultural Production: The Problem of the Chicken and the Egg," Economies, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-33, October.
    18. Kodila Tedika, Oasis, 2012. "Consequences De La Corruption : Panorama Empirique [Consequences of Corruption : Empirical survey]," MPRA Paper 41482, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Dwiputri, Inayati Nuraini & Arsyad, Lincolin & Pradiptyo, Rimawan, 2018. "The corruption-income inequality trap: A study of Asian countries," Economics Discussion Papers 2018-81, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    20. Ben Hamouda, Abderrazek, 2018. "La qualité de gouvernance et le triangle croissance-inégalité-pauvreté [The relationship between growth-inequality-poverty triangle and governance]," MPRA Paper 92207, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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