Two Decades of Declining Poverty but Rising Inequality in Laos

Peter Warr*, Sitthiroth Rasphone, Jayant Menon

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Over the past two decades consumption inequality has risen within Laos, while absolute poverty incidence has halved. The estimated Gini coefficient of private household expenditures per person rose from 0.311 to 0.364. This increase in the sample-based estimate of inequality was statistically significant and occurred in all regions, in both rural and urban areas and among all major ethnic, educational and sectoral employment categories. Within-group increases in inequality dominated between-group changes. Official policy largely overlooks this point, focusing on reducing inequality between rather than within major groups. Economic inequality seems certain to become a more pressing policy concern.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)165-185
Number of pages21
JournalAsian Economic Journal
Volume32
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2018

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