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Year 06/2016 
Issue 25

Income inequalities: axioms of income inequality measures and people's perceptions

Barbara Jancewicz
University of Warsaw

06/2016 (25) Decyzje

DOI 10.7206/DEC.1733-0092.69

Article contents

Abstract

Studies show that people perceive income inequality differently than most popular income inequality measures and axioms (postulated properties of inequality) indicate. This article synthesizes and reviews different results on income inequality perception. It presents basic income inequality axioms and analyses the level of support found in multiple studies. The paper shows that while answers to particular questions seldom perfectly agree with income inequality measures, the general pattern of respondents' answers is strongly correlated with these measures. It also argues that the observed differences can be partially explained by following Amartya Sen’s suggestion that income
inequality is a multidimensional concept (1973, p. 48).

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APA style

Jancewicz, Barbara (2016). Income inequalities: axioms of income inequality measures and people's perceptions. (2016). Income inequalities: axioms of income inequality measures and people's perceptions. Decyzje, (25), 21-42. https://doi.org/10.7206/DEC.1733-0092.69 (Original work published 06/2016AD)

MLA style

Jancewicz, Barbara. “Income Inequalities: Axioms Of Income Inequality Measures And People's Perceptions”. 06/2016AD. Decyzje, no. 25, 2016, pp. 21-42.

Chicago style

Jancewicz, Barbara. “Income Inequalities: Axioms Of Income Inequality Measures And People's Perceptions”. Decyzje, Decyzje, no. 25 (2016): 21-42. doi:10.7206/DEC.1733-0092.69.

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