DP1586 Empirics for Growth and Distribution: Stratification, Polarization, and Convergence Clubs

Author(s):	Danny Quah
Publication Date:	March 1997
Keyword(s):	Conditioning, Convergence, Distribution Dynamics, Income Distribution, Inequality, Space, Trade, Twin Peaks
JEL(s):	C13, C33, F43, O30
Programme Areas:	International Macroeconomics
Link to this Page:	cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=1586

This paper studies cross-country patterns of economic growth from the viewpoint of income distribution dynamics. Such a perspective raises new empirical and theoretical issues in growth analysis: the profound empirical regularity is an ?emerging twin peaks? in the cross-sectional distribution, not simple patterns of convergence or divergence. The theoretical problems raised concern interaction patterns among sub-groups of economies, not only problems of a single economy?s accumulating factor inputs and technology for growth.