Abstract

This paper studies the mechanisms underlying the apparent stability of the income distribution in Taiwan. An original decomposition methodology based on micro-simulation techniques is proposed. Applied to the distribution of income in Taiwan since 1979 it permits isolating the respective impact of changes in: a) earning structure; b) labor-force participation behavior; and c) the socio-demographic structure of the population. It appears that the stability of the distribution in Taiwan is the result of various structural forces which happened to offset each other. At the individual level, the small drop observed in inequality resulted from the combination of unequalizing changes in the wage structure and the effects of changes in female labor-force participation as well as changes in the educational structure of the population. The same offsetting forces, together with changes in the composition of households, resulted in a small increase in the inequality of the distribution of equivalized household incomes.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.