Abstract
Researchers should ensure the data they employ are fit for their purpose, and they should maximize the quality of the data they choose. In this paper, I review how this advice applies to broadly cross-national research on income inequality. I demonstrate that the guidance offered in Jenkins (J. Econ. Inequal., 2015) to those pursuing cross-national research runs completely counter to the recommendations found in Atkinson and Brandolini (J. Econ. Lit. 39(3), 771–799, 2001, 2009), the source of the aforementioned advice and the works upon which Jenkins (J. Econ. Inequal., 2015) claims its own is based. I then show how the Standardized World Income Inequality Database (SWIID) incorporates Atkinson and Brandolini’s recommendations to provide the most comparable data available for those engaged in broadly cross-national research on income inequality.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alvaredo, F., Atkinson, A.B., Piketty, T., Saez, E.: The World Top Incomes Database. http://topincomes.g-mond.parisschoolofeconomics.eu. 23 July 2014 (2014)
Atkinson, A.B., Brandolini, A.: Promise and pitfalls in the use of ‘secondary’ data-sets: Income inequality in OECD countries as a case study. J. Econ. Lit. 39(3), 771–799 (2001)
Atkinson, A.B., Brandolini, A.: On data: A case study of the evolution of income inequality across time and across countries. Camb. J. Econ. 33(3), 381–404 (2009)
Atkinson, A.B., Piketty, T., Saez, E.: Top incomes in the long run of history. J. Econ. Lit. 49(1), 3–71 (2011)
Brandolini, A.: A Bird’s-Eye View of Long-Run Changes in Income Inequality. Banca d’Italia (1998)
Brandolini, A.: Income Inequality and Poverty in Italy: A Statistical Compendium. Rome: Banca d’Italia (2004)
Gelman, A., Loken, E.: The statistical crisis in science. Am. Sci. 102(6), 460 (2014)
Herndon, T., Ash, M., Pollin, R.: Does high public debt consistently stifle economic growth? A critique of Reinhart and Rogoff. Camb. J. Econ. 38(2), 257–279 (2014)
Jenkins, S.P.: World income inequality databases: An assessment of WIID and SWIID. J. Econ. Inequal. (2015)
LIS: Inequality and Poverty Key Figures. http://www.lisdatacenter.org. August 2014. Luxembourg: LIS (2014a)
LIS: Luxembourg Income Study Database. http://www.lisdatacenter.org. Multiple countries; August 2014. Luxembourg: LIS (2014b)
Reinhart, C.M., Rogoff, K.S.: Growth in a time of debt. Am. Econ. Rev. 100(2), 573–578 (2010)
Simmons, J.P., Nelson, L.D., Simonsohn, U.: False-positive psychology: undisclosed flexibility in data collection and analysis allows presenting anything as significant. Psychol. Sci. 22(11), 1359–1366 (2011)
Solt, F.: Standardizing the world income inequality database. Soc. Sci. Q. 90(2), 231–242 (2009)
Solt, F.: Economic inequality and nonviolent protest. Soc. Sci. Q. 96 (2015)
Solt, F.: The standardized world income inequality database. Soc. Sci. Q. (forthcoming). SWIID Version 5.0, October 2014
UNU-WIDER: World Income Inequality Database, Version 2.0c, May 2008. http://www.wider.unu.edu/research/Database/en_GB/database (2008a)
UNU-WIDER: World Income Inequality Database User Guide and Data Sources, Version 2.0c. http://website1.wider.unu.edu/wiid/WIID2c.pdf (2008b)
UNU-WIDER: World Income Inequality Database, Version 3b, September 2014. http://www.wider.unu.edu/research/WIID3-0B/en_GB/database (2014)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Solt, F. On the assessment and use of cross-national income inequality datasets. J Econ Inequal 13, 683–691 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10888-015-9308-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10888-015-9308-0