Economic growth or development: the validity of the theories of celso furtado and eclac on the Brazilian reality

Discussion between economic growth and development has permeated economic-sociological studies for a long time. It has been used successively to explain the observed phenomena imposed, such as inequality and income concentration, dependence, and even the power of the investment multiplier effect when driven by the State. From socio-economic activity and social inequalities, this paper aims to discuss the connections between Celso Furtado and ECLAC theories, upon the thoughts of Raul Prebisch and Raul Pinto, and the existing reality in Ribeirão Branco, one of the poorest cities in Sao Paulo State in Brazil. Data collection was done through documental research and the application of targeted interviews. The results explain how essential state investments promote social welfare and how periphery-center relations heavily affect municipalities of minor economic relevance.

The System of Intergovernmental Relations: are there any Incentives for Economic Development

In the last decade, the system of inter-budgetary relations has undergone some changes, which were mainly of a partial nature. The result is an established model with a significant and non-decreasing number of subsidized regions, a high level of income concentration, and subfederal budgets that differ significantly in the degree of income base diversification. At the same time, if half of the regions have an insufficient level of economic development to finance the necessary expenditures (relative to GRP), then for the other half this level is quite sufficient within the GRP potential, but the current tax system and the procedure for distributing tax revenues do not allow this, which requires replacing tax revenues with federal transfers. This model does not generate intention in supporting economic growth and economic activity in the regions and deprives them of incentives for development. The way out of this situation may be to take into account the formed macro-trends (changes in the place of the hydrocarbon economy, the place in the value chains, etc.) in the formation of an explicitly asymmetric model of intergovernmental relations, which may allow us to use the intention in economic development at the level of the subjects of the Russian Federation.

Financial Resilience, Income Dependence and Organisational Survival in UK Charities

The financial well-being of the charity sector has important social implications. Numerous studies have analysed whether the concentration of income in a few sources increases financial vulnerability. However, few studies have systematically considered whether the type of income (grants, donation, fund-raising activities) affects the survival prospects of the charity. We extend the literature by (a) explicitly modelling the composition of sources of income, (b) allowing for short-term volatility as well as long-term survival and (c) testing alternative specifications in a nested form. We show that the usual association between income concentration per se and financial vulnerability is a specification error. Greater vulnerability is associated with dependence on grant funding, not overall concentration. Previous studies showing that concentration of income per se is problematic are picking up a proxy effect. We also show that the volatility of income streams may be an important factor in the survival of charities, but that this also varies between income sources.

Inequality in tax evasion: the case of the Spanish income tax

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to estimate tax evasion and its impact on progressivity, redistribution and the measurement of inequality, using microdata from the Spanish income tax for 2001-2004. Design/methodology/approach The approach follows Feldman and Slemrod (2007) by exploiting the relation of charitable donations with the composition of income but introduces two methodological innovations, which could be useful for further studies: correction for sample selection with a Heckman two-step setting and the calculation of different evasion rates for top incomes with an interaction term. Findings Evasion in capital incomes was significant throughout these years. Financial incomes were reported at around 50-70 per cent of their real value, with the lowest estimates corresponding to the top decile. Revenues from fixed capital display similarly low compliance rates for the top 10 per cent. Tax evasion in self-employment incomes (direct assessment) is estimated at 20 per cent for 2001. Mostly because of a composition effect, this means that fraud was higher at the top of the income distribution, thus having a regressive impact. Inequality statistics and top income concentration estimates should, therefore, be revised upwards. Originality/value This is the first paper to estimate the distributive impacts of tax evasion in Spain, and one of very few internationally.

Catching up, falling behind: the need to build upgrading coalitions for innovation and inclusive development in South Africa

Through analysis of the South African case, a country stalled in a middle income trap, the paper aims to add to the literature on catch-up. It uses Albuquerque’s (2019) model of the vicious cycles arising from inequality and income concentration, together with the notion of ‘upgrading coalitions’ (Doner and Schneider 2016) required to challenge these vicious cycles, to analyse the persistence of lock-ins. It then analyses a global astronomy project, a ‘window of opportunity’ building on historically grown capabilities, promoted by ‘upgrading coalitions’ operating in the national interest. In contrast, it proposes a ‘detour’ to build domestic capabilities, driven by an upgrading coalition centred on local economic development and livelihoods in the informal economy. The paper aims to reinforce the evidence on how inequality is both a cause and consequence of a middle income trap, and open debate on how upgrading coalitions may be a critical strategy for breaking lock-ins.

Top Incomes in Germany, 1871–2014

This study provides new evidence on top income shares in Germany from industrialization to the present. Income concentration was high in the nineteenth century, dropped sharply after WWI and during the hyperinflation years of the 1920s, then increased rapidly throughout the Nazi period beginning in the 1930s. Following the end of WWII, German top income shares returned to 1920s levels. The German pattern stands in contrast to developments in France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, where WWII brought a sizeable and lasting reduction in top income shares. Since the turn of the millennium, income concentration in Germany has been on the rise and is today among the highest in Europe. The capital share is consistently positively associated with income concentration, whereas growth, technological change, trade, unions, and top tax rates are positively associated in some periods and negative in others.