Abstract
We provide an analytical-behavioral explanation for the observed positive relationship between income inequality, as measured by the Gini coefficient, and the incentive to migrate. We show that a higher total relative deprivation of a population leads to a stronger incentive to engage in migration for a given level of a population's income; that total relative deprivation is positively related to the Gini coefficient; and that, consequently, the Gini coefficient and migration are positively correlated, holding the population's income constant.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 146-152 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Economics Letters |
| Volume | 91 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 2006 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Income inequality
- Relative deprivation
- The Gini coefficient
- The incentive to migrate
