Citation

Discussion Paper Details

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Title: Distance-based social index numbers: a unifying approach

Author(s): Walter Bossert, Conchita D'Ambrosio and Shlomo Weber

Publication Date: July 2020

Keyword(s): diversity, fractionalization, Group-dependent deprivation, inequality, Polarization and social index numbers

Programme Area(s): Public Economics

Abstract: We present a unified approach to the design of social index numbers. Our starting point is a model that employs an exogenously given partition of the population into subgroups. A general parameterized class of group-dependent measures of deprivation is characterized, based on the differences between the income (or wealth) levels of an individual and those who are better off. We then continue to show that the general structure of our class is capable of accommodating a plethora of indices, including measures of inequality and polarization as well as distance-based measures of phenomena such as diversity and fractionalization.

For full details and related downloads, please visit: https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=14994

Bibliographic Reference

Bossert, W, D'Ambrosio, C and Weber, S. 2020. 'Distance-based social index numbers: a unifying approach'. London, Centre for Economic Policy Research. https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=14994