Intended as an introductory textbook for advanced undergraduates and first year graduate students, this book leads the reader from familiar basic micro- and macroeconomic concepts in the introduction to not so familiar concepts relating to income distribution in the subsequent chapters. The income concept and household sample surveys are examined first, followed by descriptive statistics techniques commonly used to present the survey results. The commonality found in the shape of the income density function leads to statistical modeling, parameter estimation, and goodness of fit tests. Alterna ... More

Intended as an introductory textbook for advanced undergraduates and first year graduate students, this book leads the reader from familiar basic micro- and macroeconomic concepts in the introduction to not so familiar concepts relating to income distribution in the subsequent chapters. The income concept and household sample surveys are examined first, followed by descriptive statistics techniques commonly used to present the survey results. The commonality found in the shape of the income density function leads to statistical modeling, parameter estimation, and goodness of fit tests. Alternative models are then introduced along with the related summary measures of income distribution, including the Gini coefficient. This is followed by a sequence of chapters that deal with normative issues such as inequality, poverty, and country comparisons. The remaining chapters cover an assortment of topics including: economic development and globalization and their impact on income distribution, redistribution of income, and integrating macroeconomic models with income distribution models.