Evaluating inequality of opportunity in Spain pre and post COVID-19

This paper investigates the evolution of Inequality of Opportunity (IO) in individual income in Spain, with a specific focus on the changes before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data from the Spanish Statistics of Income and Living Conditions (ES-SILC) for the years 2019 and 2023, we apply l...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Ibrahim, Youssef
Tipo de recurso: tesis de maestría
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:España
Institución:Universidad del País Vasco
Repositorio:Addi. Archivo Digital para la Docencia y la Investigación
OAI Identifier:oai:addi.ehu.eus:10810/73808
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10810/73808
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:inequality of opportunity
income inequality
COVID-19
socio-economic background
social justice
Spain
Descripción
Sumario:This paper investigates the evolution of Inequality of Opportunity (IO) in individual income in Spain, with a specific focus on the changes before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data from the Spanish Statistics of Income and Living Conditions (ES-SILC) for the years 2019 and 2023, we apply linear regression estimates of gross annual individual income on various exogenous socio-economic circumstances to calculate IO and a Shapley decomposition approach to analyse the contributions of those circumstances to income inequality. Our findings reveal significant disparities in income that can be attributed to these circumstances. For instance, gender emerged as a prominent factor contributing to income inequality in both years. A notable outcome of our study is the observed reduction in the overall level of total inequality and IO, indicating a potential improvement in equality of opportunity post-pandemic. Additionally, the descriptive statistics show a significant increase in the number of individuals with health-induced limitations. Our analysis underscores the persistent influence of socioeconomic background on income distribution and the intergenerational transmission of disadvantages, highlighting the need for policies that address these foundational inequalities to promote a more equitable society. Furthermore, our study emphasizes the importance of continuous monitoring and targeted interventions to mitigate the long-term impacts of inequality-inducing factors and circumstances.