On the positive correlation between income inequality and unemployment

Several empirical studies in the literature have documented the existence of a positive correlation between income inequalitiy and unemployment. I provide a theoretical framework under which this correlation can be better understood. The analysis is based on a dynamic job search under uncertainty. I start by proving the uniqueness of a stationary distribution of wages in the economy. Drawing upon this distribution, I provide a general expression for the Gini coefficient of income inequality. The expression has the advantage of not requiring a particular specification of the distribution of wage offers. Next, I show how the Gini coefficient varies as a function of the parameters of the model, and how it can be expected to be positively correlated with the rate of unemployment. Two examples are offered. The first, of a technical nature, to show that the convergence of the measures implied by the underlying Markov process can fail in some cases. The second, to provide a quantitative assessment of the model and of the mechanism linking unemployment and inequality.

The Free Trade Area of the Americas : positive outcomes for Brazil and the global community

This document discusses Brazil and the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Since the FTAA is only a proposed agreement and trade apparatus at the moment, NAFTA is used as a working model and its influence on and benefit for Mexico and that country’s economy.

Diferencial de salários e produtividade no setor de serviços brasileiro

This paper provides new information about inter-industry wage di§erentials in Brazil. Using data from the National Survey Sample of Households, we can see that from 1983 to 1995 the relative average wage of the service sector compared to the goods sector decreased, whereas from 1995 to 2007 it increased at a higher level than the previous decrease. After controlling for a variety of work characteristics, we can still see the positive evolution of rel- ative ages in the service sector. We conclude that this development has some explanations: the period of economic growth and stabilization that started after 1994 generated a positive income e§ect, and the service sector beneÖted more from it. Also, the structural transfor- mation that the developed countries already went through still hasn¥t Önished in Brazil. That probably helped improving relative wages in the service sector and it¥s expected the continuation of this process, so as the structural transformation evolves inter-industry wage di§erentials will converge.