Income inequality in Mexico, 1895-1940: industrialisation, revolution, institutions
(2024) In Revista de Historia Economica - Journal of Iberian and Latin American Economic History 42(3). p.415-434- Abstract
- This paper, building on new archival research and the social table method, presents comprehensive estimates of income inequality in Mexico in 1895, 1910, 1930 and 1940. Inequality grew from 1895 to 1910, driven by economic expansion within the context of an oligarchic economy. While real income increased for the lower classes during this period, the main beneficiaries were large landowners and entrepreneurs. In the revolutionary period from 1910 to 1930 inequality decreased especially as a result of land reforms, benefitting peasants at the expense of the large landowners. However, the economic structure of the country was not fundamentally changed, and in the 1930s inequality raised as incomes of peasants and those in the informal sector... (More)
- This paper, building on new archival research and the social table method, presents comprehensive estimates of income inequality in Mexico in 1895, 1910, 1930 and 1940. Inequality grew from 1895 to 1910, driven by economic expansion within the context of an oligarchic economy. While real income increased for the lower classes during this period, the main beneficiaries were large landowners and entrepreneurs. In the revolutionary period from 1910 to 1930 inequality decreased especially as a result of land reforms, benefitting peasants at the expense of the large landowners. However, the economic structure of the country was not fundamentally changed, and in the 1930s inequality raised as incomes of peasants and those in the informal sector fell behind manufacturing and other high-earning sectors. The Mexican case shows the complex interaction of economics, demography and politics in determining economic inequality. (Less)
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https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/fa128046-8d4f-4ee9-ae8e-e8e1733050d5
- author
- Castañeda Garza, Diego and Bengtsson, Erik LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- income inequality, income distribution, Mexico, Mexican Revolution, D31, E01, N36, O15
- in
- Revista de Historia Economica - Journal of Iberian and Latin American Economic History
- volume
- 42
- issue
- 3
- pages
- 415 - 434
- publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:86000436267
- ISSN
- 0212-6109
- DOI
- 10.1017/S021261092400017X
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- fa128046-8d4f-4ee9-ae8e-e8e1733050d5
- date added to LUP
- 2025-01-29 09:56:02
- date last changed
- 2025-06-03 09:22:24
@article{fa128046-8d4f-4ee9-ae8e-e8e1733050d5,
abstract = {{This paper, building on new archival research and the social table method, presents comprehensive estimates of income inequality in Mexico in 1895, 1910, 1930 and 1940. Inequality grew from 1895 to 1910, driven by economic expansion within the context of an oligarchic economy. While real income increased for the lower classes during this period, the main beneficiaries were large landowners and entrepreneurs. In the revolutionary period from 1910 to 1930 inequality decreased especially as a result of land reforms, benefitting peasants at the expense of the large landowners. However, the economic structure of the country was not fundamentally changed, and in the 1930s inequality raised as incomes of peasants and those in the informal sector fell behind manufacturing and other high-earning sectors. The Mexican case shows the complex interaction of economics, demography and politics in determining economic inequality.}},
author = {{Castañeda Garza, Diego and Bengtsson, Erik}},
issn = {{0212-6109}},
keywords = {{income inequality; income distribution; Mexico; Mexican Revolution; D31; E01; N36; O15}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{3}},
pages = {{415--434}},
publisher = {{Cambridge University Press}},
series = {{Revista de Historia Economica - Journal of Iberian and Latin American Economic History}},
title = {{Income inequality in Mexico, 1895-1940: industrialisation, revolution, institutions}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S021261092400017X}},
doi = {{10.1017/S021261092400017X}},
volume = {{42}},
year = {{2024}},
}