A NEW DATA SET MEASURING INCOME INEQUALITY

This article presents a new data set on inequality in the distribution of income. The authors explain the criteria they applied in selecting data on Gini coefficients and on individual quintile groups' income s hares. Comparison of the new data set with existing compilations revea ls that the data assembled here represent an improvement in quality an d a significant expansion in coverage, although differences in the def inition of the underlying data might still affect intertemporal and in ternational comparability. Based on this new data set, the authors do not find a systematic link between growth and changes in aggregate ine quality. They do find a strong positive relationship between growth nd reduction of poverty.