Inequality, Technology and Payments Systems

  • Frances Stewart

Summary

The chapter considers the way in which the interaction between technology, population growth and the payments system is responsible for growing inequality in many poor countries. The payments system describes the set of rules governing property rights, access to work and income from work. Payments systems may be classified into traditional, capitalist, mixed and socialist, although most economies exhibit hybrid characteristics. It is argued that capitalist and mixed economy payments systems are largely responsible for those situations where poverty has increased despite growth in per capita income. Finally the chapter considers methods of reforming the payments system.

Keywords

Income Distribution Marginal Product Payment System Asset Accumulation Mixed Economy 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Adelman, I. and Morris, C. T., Economic Growth and Social Equity in Developing Countries (Stanford University Press, 1973).Google Scholar
  2. Ahluwalia, M. S., ‘Inequality, poverty and development’, Journal of Development Economics, vol. 3 (1976).Google Scholar
  3. Atkinson, A. B., The Economics of Inequality (Oxford University Press, 1975).Google Scholar
  4. Cassen, R., ‘Population and Development: A Survey’ in P. Streeten and R. Jolly (eds), Recent Issues in World Development (Pergamon, 1981).Google Scholar
  5. Chenery, H., M. S. Ahluwalia, C. L. G. Bell, J. H. Duloy and R. Jolly, Redistribution with Growth (Oxford University Press, 1974).Google Scholar
  6. Fei, J. C. H., G. Ranis and S. Kuo, Equity with Growth: the Taiwan Case (Oxford University Press, 1979).Google Scholar
  7. Griffin, K. and A. R. Khan (eds), Poverty and Landlessness in Rural Asia (Geneva: International Labour Office, 1977).Google Scholar
  8. International Labour Office, Employment, Incomes and Equality in Kenya, (Geneva: ILO, 1972).Google Scholar
  9. Lardy, N, N., ‘Centralization and decentralization in China’s fiscal management’, The China Quarterly, no. 61 (1975).Google Scholar
  10. Leys, C., Underdevelopment in Kenya (Heinemann, 1975).Google Scholar
  11. Lipton, M., Inter-Farm, Inter-Regional and Farm—Non-Farm Income Distribution: ‘The Impact of the New Cereal Varieties’, World Development, Vol. 6, no. 3 (1978).Google Scholar
  12. Paukert, F, F., ‘Income distribution at different levels of development: a survey of evidence’, International Labour Review, vol. 108, nos 2–3 (August—September 1973).Google Scholar
  13. Oshima, H., ‘The international comparison of size distribution of family incomes with special reference to Asia’, Review of Economics and Statistics (1962).Google Scholar
  14. Sen, A. K., On Economic Inequality (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1973).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. Sen, A. K., Poverty and Famines (Oxford University Press, 1981).Google Scholar
  16. Stewart, F., Technology and Underdevelopment (Macmillan, 1977).CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Frances Stewart 1983

Authors and Affiliations

  • Frances Stewart

There are no affiliations available

Personalised recommendations