Rethinking the financial kuznets curve in the framework of income inequality: Empirical evidence on advanced and developing economies


Özdemir O.

Economics and Business Letters, vol.8, no.4, pp.176-190, 2019 (Scopus) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 8 Issue: 4
  • Publication Date: 2019
  • Doi Number: 10.17811/ebl.8.4.2019.176-190
  • Journal Name: Economics and Business Letters
  • Journal Indexes: Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.176-190
  • Keywords: Financial development, Globalization, Income inequality, Kuznets curve, U-shape
  • Istanbul Gelisim University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

© 2019, Oviedo University Press. All rights reserved.Contrary to the empirical findings that there is a negative link between financial sector development and income inequality, we introduce a different result: in the earlier stages of the financial and economic development, the level of income inequality decreases, but with an ongoing developmental process, the later stages show that the above-mentioned link between finance and inequality turns into positive within the framework of financial Kuznets curve. In terms of finance-inequality nexus, we find that neither markets nor institutions play a significant role for the decrease in income inequality. When the results are measured within this context, the study concludes that the U-shaped financial Kuznets curve hypothesis is valid in the sample countries.