Marina Dodlova / Anna Giolbas

Regime Type, Inequality, and Redistributive Transfers in Developing Countries

GIGA Working Papers | 2015


  • Series

    GIGA Working Papers

    Series Number

    273

    Number of Pages

    31

    Publisher

    German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA)

    Location

    Hamburg

    Abstract

    The debate on whether democracy and inequality increase the level of redistribution in a country is still ongoing. We construct a model that predicts a higher probability of redistribution in democracies than in autocracies. Further, with higher initial inequality, there should be more redistribution in democracies but not necessarily in autocracies. We test these predictions using data on social transfers in developing countries for the period 1960–2010. We confirm that democracy increases redistribution and, to some extent, that there is more redistribution with rising inequality. Hence, on the basis of a direct measure of redistribution, we present evidence to confirm the median voter theorem.

    Marina Dodlova

    Marina Dodlova

    Former GIGA Team member


    Anna Giolbas

    Anna Giolbas

    Former Doctoral Researcher


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