收入分配不平等的概念及其度量综述

A Survey of the Concepts and Measurements of Income Distribution Inequality

收入分配是经济学研究的重要领域之一。收入分配的不平等状况可以有实证和规范两种方法分析。实证方法描述收入分配中分散程度的实际模式,并用一种统计量(值)来概括。实证方法除了常见的频数图、洛伦兹曲线和泰尔指数外,还有著名的帕雷托分布和对数正态分布。规范法建立在一种价值判断之上,用社会福利函数度量不平等的程度。阿特金森指数(AtkinsomIndex)是最常用的由规范法导出的不平等指标。

Income distribution is an important domain of economic studies. The inequality of income distribution could be analyzed by authentic proof methods and the canonical methods. The authentic proof methods are to describe the real mode of the dispersion of income distribution, and generalize it with a statistic. Besides the common frequency chart. Lorenz curve, and Theil index. the famous Pareto distribution and the lognormal distribution are the authentic proof methods as well. The canonical methods are established on some value judgment and measure the inequality with the Social Welfare Function. Athinson Index is the commonest inequality indes derived by the canonical method.