International Migration and Income Distribution in San Miguel Coatlán, Oaxaca

This study evaluates the hypothesis that in rural communities, recent international migration has led to greater inequality in income distribution (Stark, Taylor and Yitzhaki, 1986). A decomposition of the Gini coefficient by income source was used to analyze the effect of international remittances...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Salas Alfaro, Renato
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2013
País:México
Institución:EL COLEGIO DE MÉXICO
Repositorio:Estudios Demográficos y Urbanos
Idioma:español
OAI Identifier:oai:oai.estudiosdemograficosyurbanos.colmex.mx:article/1451
Acceso en línea:https://estudiosdemograficosyurbanos.colmex.mx/index.php/edu/article/view/1451
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:indigenous community
decomposition of the Gini coefficient
income inequality
remittances
international migration
comunidad indígena
descomposición del coeficiente de Gini
desigualdad económica
remesas
migración internacional
Descripción
Sumario:This study evaluates the hypothesis that in rural communities, recent international migration has led to greater inequality in income distribution (Stark, Taylor and Yitzhaki, 1986). A decomposition of the Gini coefficient by income source was used to analyze the effect of international remittances on income distribution in a sample of 37% of the households in San Miguel Coatlán, Oaxaca. The results show that although this community displays acute inequality, remittances improve income distribution. Migratory history does not determine the form of distribution, which instead depends on the structure of the households that receive remittances, the importance of the latter compared with other income, and certain cultural forms that encourage the incorporation into migration of certain members of households from all the economic strata in the community.