Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 73
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Code Context


        trigger_error($message, E_USER_DEPRECATED);

    }
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 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php.'
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deprecationWarning - CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311
Cake\Http\ServerRequest::offsetGet() - CORE/src/Http/ServerRequest.php, line 2421
App\Controller\ArtileDetailController::printArticle() - APP/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line 73
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Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 120
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Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php, line 96
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Http\Runner::run() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 51
Cake\Http\Server::run() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 98

Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 74
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Code Context


        trigger_error($message, E_USER_DEPRECATED);

    }
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 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php.'
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deprecationWarning - CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311
Cake\Http\ServerRequest::offsetGet() - CORE/src/Http/ServerRequest.php, line 2421
App\Controller\ArtileDetailController::printArticle() - APP/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line 74
Cake\Controller\Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 610
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 120
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 94
Cake\Http\BaseApplication::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/BaseApplication.php, line 235
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/RoutingMiddleware.php, line 162
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/AssetMiddleware.php, line 88
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php, line 96
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Http\Runner::run() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 51
Cake\Http\Server::run() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 98

Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Code Context
            if (Configure::read('debug')) {

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    <link rel="canonical" href="https://im4change.in/<pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr68018a9d5109d-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr68018a9d5109d-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Notice</b> (8)</a>: Undefined variable: urlPrefix [<b>APP/Template/Layout/printlayout.ctp</b>, line <b>8</b>]<div id="cakeErr68018a9d5109d-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr68018a9d5109d-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr68018a9d5109d-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr68018a9d5109d-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr68018a9d5109d-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr68018a9d5109d-code" class="cake-code-dump" style="display: none;"><code><span style="color: #000000"><span style="color: #0000BB"></span><span style="color: #007700">&lt;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">head</span><span style="color: #007700">&gt;
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		&#039;title&#039; =&gt; &#039;Is Thomas Piketty right about inequality in India? -Tadit Kundu&#039;,
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-Livemint.com&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;Thomas Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India&amp;rsquo;s income pie is higher than ever before. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Based on their analysis of historical data&amp;mdash;from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics&amp;mdash;the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India&amp;rsquo;s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India&amp;rsquo;s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India&amp;rsquo;s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty&amp;rsquo;s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The problem with Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India&amp;rsquo;s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out&amp;mdash;by assumption&amp;mdash;any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India?&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys&amp;mdash;which are likely to under-estimate inequality&amp;mdash;present a worrying picture of inequality in India.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Please &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;
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-Livemint.com

Thomas Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one

Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist...&#039;,
	&#039;disp&#039; =&gt; &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-Livemint.com&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thomas Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India&amp;rsquo;s income pie is higher than ever before. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Based on their analysis of historical data&amp;mdash;from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics&amp;mdash;the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India&amp;rsquo;s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India&amp;rsquo;s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India&amp;rsquo;s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty&amp;rsquo;s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The problem with Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India&amp;rsquo;s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out&amp;mdash;by assumption&amp;mdash;any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys&amp;mdash;which are likely to under-estimate inequality&amp;mdash;present a worrying picture of inequality in India.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html&quot; title=&quot;http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&#039;,
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	&#039;description&#039; =&gt; &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
-Livemint.com&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;Thomas Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India&amp;rsquo;s income pie is higher than ever before. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Based on their analysis of historical data&amp;mdash;from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics&amp;mdash;the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India&amp;rsquo;s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India&amp;rsquo;s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India&amp;rsquo;s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty&amp;rsquo;s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The problem with Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India&amp;rsquo;s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out&amp;mdash;by assumption&amp;mdash;any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India?&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys&amp;mdash;which are likely to under-estimate inequality&amp;mdash;present a worrying picture of inequality in India.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Please &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&#039;,
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-Livemint.com

Thomas Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one

Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist...&#039;
$disp = &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-Livemint.com&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thomas Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India&amp;rsquo;s income pie is higher than ever before. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Based on their analysis of historical data&amp;mdash;from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics&amp;mdash;the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India&amp;rsquo;s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India&amp;rsquo;s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India&amp;rsquo;s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty&amp;rsquo;s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The problem with Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India&amp;rsquo;s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out&amp;mdash;by assumption&amp;mdash;any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys&amp;mdash;which are likely to under-estimate inequality&amp;mdash;present a worrying picture of inequality in India.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html&quot; title=&quot;http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&#039;
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                <strong>Is Thomas Piketty right about inequality in India? -Tadit Kundu</strong></h1>
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                <div align="justify">-Livemint.com<br /><br /><em>Thomas Piketty&rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one<br /></em><br />Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India&rsquo;s income pie is higher than ever before. <br /><br />Based on their analysis of historical data&mdash;from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics&mdash;the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India&rsquo;s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India&rsquo;s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. <br /><br />The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India&rsquo;s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty&rsquo;s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. <br /><br />The problem with Piketty&rsquo;s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India&rsquo;s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. <br /><br />What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out&mdash;by assumption&mdash;any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys.<br /><br />The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years.<br /><br />Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. <br /><br />Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India?<br /><br />The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys&mdash;which are likely to under-estimate inequality&mdash;present a worrying picture of inequality in India.<br /><br />Please <a href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html" title="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html">click here</a> to read more. <br /></div>               </font>
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-Livemint.com&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;Thomas Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India&amp;rsquo;s income pie is higher than ever before. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Based on their analysis of historical data&amp;mdash;from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics&amp;mdash;the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India&amp;rsquo;s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India&amp;rsquo;s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India&amp;rsquo;s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty&amp;rsquo;s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The problem with Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India&amp;rsquo;s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out&amp;mdash;by assumption&amp;mdash;any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India?&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys&amp;mdash;which are likely to under-estimate inequality&amp;mdash;present a worrying picture of inequality in India.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Please &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;
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-Livemint.com

Thomas Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one

Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist...&#039;,
	&#039;disp&#039; =&gt; &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-Livemint.com&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thomas Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India&amp;rsquo;s income pie is higher than ever before. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Based on their analysis of historical data&amp;mdash;from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics&amp;mdash;the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India&amp;rsquo;s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India&amp;rsquo;s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India&amp;rsquo;s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty&amp;rsquo;s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The problem with Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India&amp;rsquo;s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out&amp;mdash;by assumption&amp;mdash;any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys&amp;mdash;which are likely to under-estimate inequality&amp;mdash;present a worrying picture of inequality in India.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html&quot; title=&quot;http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&#039;,
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	&#039;title&#039; =&gt; &#039;Is Thomas Piketty right about inequality in India? -Tadit Kundu&#039;,
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-Livemint.com&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;Thomas Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India&amp;rsquo;s income pie is higher than ever before. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Based on their analysis of historical data&amp;mdash;from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics&amp;mdash;the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India&amp;rsquo;s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India&amp;rsquo;s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India&amp;rsquo;s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty&amp;rsquo;s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The problem with Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India&amp;rsquo;s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out&amp;mdash;by assumption&amp;mdash;any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India?&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys&amp;mdash;which are likely to under-estimate inequality&amp;mdash;present a worrying picture of inequality in India.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Please &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&#039;,
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-Livemint.com

Thomas Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one

Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist...&#039;
$disp = &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-Livemint.com&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thomas Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India&amp;rsquo;s income pie is higher than ever before. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Based on their analysis of historical data&amp;mdash;from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics&amp;mdash;the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India&amp;rsquo;s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India&amp;rsquo;s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India&amp;rsquo;s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty&amp;rsquo;s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The problem with Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India&amp;rsquo;s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out&amp;mdash;by assumption&amp;mdash;any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys&amp;mdash;which are likely to under-estimate inequality&amp;mdash;present a worrying picture of inequality in India.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html&quot; title=&quot;http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&#039;
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Thomas Piketty&rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one

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                <strong>Is Thomas Piketty right about inequality in India? -Tadit Kundu</strong></h1>
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                <div align="justify">-Livemint.com<br /><br /><em>Thomas Piketty&rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one<br /></em><br />Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India&rsquo;s income pie is higher than ever before. <br /><br />Based on their analysis of historical data&mdash;from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics&mdash;the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India&rsquo;s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India&rsquo;s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. <br /><br />The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India&rsquo;s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty&rsquo;s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. <br /><br />The problem with Piketty&rsquo;s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India&rsquo;s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. <br /><br />What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out&mdash;by assumption&mdash;any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys.<br /><br />The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years.<br /><br />Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. <br /><br />Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India?<br /><br />The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys&mdash;which are likely to under-estimate inequality&mdash;present a worrying picture of inequality in India.<br /><br />Please <a href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html" title="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html">click here</a> to read more. <br /></div>               </font>
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    <link rel="canonical" href="https://im4change.in/<pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr68018a9d5109d-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr68018a9d5109d-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Notice</b> (8)</a>: Undefined variable: urlPrefix [<b>APP/Template/Layout/printlayout.ctp</b>, line <b>8</b>]<div id="cakeErr68018a9d5109d-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr68018a9d5109d-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr68018a9d5109d-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr68018a9d5109d-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr68018a9d5109d-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr68018a9d5109d-code" class="cake-code-dump" style="display: none;"><code><span style="color: #000000"><span style="color: #0000BB"></span><span style="color: #007700">&lt;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">head</span><span style="color: #007700">&gt;
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		&#039;title&#039; =&gt; &#039;Is Thomas Piketty right about inequality in India? -Tadit Kundu&#039;,
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-Livemint.com&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;Thomas Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India&amp;rsquo;s income pie is higher than ever before. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Based on their analysis of historical data&amp;mdash;from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics&amp;mdash;the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India&amp;rsquo;s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India&amp;rsquo;s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India&amp;rsquo;s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty&amp;rsquo;s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The problem with Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India&amp;rsquo;s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out&amp;mdash;by assumption&amp;mdash;any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India?&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys&amp;mdash;which are likely to under-estimate inequality&amp;mdash;present a worrying picture of inequality in India.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Please &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;
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-Livemint.com

Thomas Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one

Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist...&#039;,
	&#039;disp&#039; =&gt; &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-Livemint.com&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thomas Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India&amp;rsquo;s income pie is higher than ever before. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Based on their analysis of historical data&amp;mdash;from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics&amp;mdash;the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India&amp;rsquo;s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India&amp;rsquo;s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India&amp;rsquo;s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty&amp;rsquo;s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The problem with Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India&amp;rsquo;s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out&amp;mdash;by assumption&amp;mdash;any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys&amp;mdash;which are likely to under-estimate inequality&amp;mdash;present a worrying picture of inequality in India.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html&quot; title=&quot;http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&#039;,
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	&#039;title&#039; =&gt; &#039;Is Thomas Piketty right about inequality in India? -Tadit Kundu&#039;,
	&#039;subheading&#039; =&gt; &#039;&#039;,
	&#039;description&#039; =&gt; &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;
-Livemint.com&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;em&gt;Thomas Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India&amp;rsquo;s income pie is higher than ever before. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Based on their analysis of historical data&amp;mdash;from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics&amp;mdash;the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India&amp;rsquo;s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India&amp;rsquo;s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India&amp;rsquo;s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty&amp;rsquo;s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The problem with Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India&amp;rsquo;s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out&amp;mdash;by assumption&amp;mdash;any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India?&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys&amp;mdash;which are likely to under-estimate inequality&amp;mdash;present a worrying picture of inequality in India.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Please &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&#039;,
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-Livemint.com

Thomas Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one

Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist...&#039;
$disp = &#039;&lt;div align=&quot;justify&quot;&gt;-Livemint.com&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thomas Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India&amp;rsquo;s income pie is higher than ever before. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Based on their analysis of historical data&amp;mdash;from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics&amp;mdash;the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India&amp;rsquo;s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India&amp;rsquo;s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India&amp;rsquo;s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty&amp;rsquo;s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The problem with Piketty&amp;rsquo;s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India&amp;rsquo;s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out&amp;mdash;by assumption&amp;mdash;any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys&amp;mdash;which are likely to under-estimate inequality&amp;mdash;present a worrying picture of inequality in India.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html&quot; title=&quot;http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt; to read more. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&#039;
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Thomas Piketty&rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one

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                <strong>Is Thomas Piketty right about inequality in India? -Tadit Kundu</strong></h1>
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                <div align="justify">-Livemint.com<br /><br /><em>Thomas Piketty&rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one<br /></em><br />Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India&rsquo;s income pie is higher than ever before. <br /><br />Based on their analysis of historical data&mdash;from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics&mdash;the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India&rsquo;s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India&rsquo;s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. <br /><br />The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India&rsquo;s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty&rsquo;s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. <br /><br />The problem with Piketty&rsquo;s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India&rsquo;s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. <br /><br />What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out&mdash;by assumption&mdash;any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys.<br /><br />The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years.<br /><br />Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. <br /><br />Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India?<br /><br />The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys&mdash;which are likely to under-estimate inequality&mdash;present a worrying picture of inequality in India.<br /><br />Please <a href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html" title="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html">click here</a> to read more. <br /></div>               </font>
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-Livemint.com<br />
<br />
<em>Thomas Piketty&rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one<br />
</em><br />
Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India&rsquo;s income pie is higher than ever before. <br />
<br />
Based on their analysis of historical data&mdash;from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics&mdash;the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India&rsquo;s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India&rsquo;s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. <br />
<br />
The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India&rsquo;s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty&rsquo;s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. <br />
<br />
The problem with Piketty&rsquo;s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India&rsquo;s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. <br />
<br />
What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out&mdash;by assumption&mdash;any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys.<br />
<br />
The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years.<br />
<br />
Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. <br />
<br />
Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India?<br />
<br />
The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys&mdash;which are likely to under-estimate inequality&mdash;present a worrying picture of inequality in India.<br />
<br />
Please <a href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html">click here</a> to read more. <br />
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-Livemint.com

Thomas Piketty&rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one

Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist...',
	'disp' => '<div align="justify">-Livemint.com<br /><br /><em>Thomas Piketty&rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one<br /></em><br />Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India&rsquo;s income pie is higher than ever before. <br /><br />Based on their analysis of historical data&mdash;from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics&mdash;the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India&rsquo;s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India&rsquo;s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. <br /><br />The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India&rsquo;s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty&rsquo;s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. <br /><br />The problem with Piketty&rsquo;s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India&rsquo;s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. <br /><br />What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out&mdash;by assumption&mdash;any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys.<br /><br />The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years.<br /><br />Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. <br /><br />Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India?<br /><br />The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys&mdash;which are likely to under-estimate inequality&mdash;present a worrying picture of inequality in India.<br /><br />Please <a href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html" title="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html">click here</a> to read more. <br /></div>',
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-Livemint.com<br />
<br />
<em>Thomas Piketty&rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one<br />
</em><br />
Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India&rsquo;s income pie is higher than ever before. <br />
<br />
Based on their analysis of historical data&mdash;from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics&mdash;the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India&rsquo;s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India&rsquo;s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. <br />
<br />
The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India&rsquo;s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty&rsquo;s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. <br />
<br />
The problem with Piketty&rsquo;s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India&rsquo;s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. <br />
<br />
What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out&mdash;by assumption&mdash;any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys.<br />
<br />
The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years.<br />
<br />
Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. <br />
<br />
Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India?<br />
<br />
The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys&mdash;which are likely to under-estimate inequality&mdash;present a worrying picture of inequality in India.<br />
<br />
Please <a href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html">click here</a> to read more. <br />
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$metaTitle = 'LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Is Thomas Piketty right about inequality in India? -Tadit Kundu'
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-Livemint.com

Thomas Piketty&rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one

Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist...'
$disp = '<div align="justify">-Livemint.com<br /><br /><em>Thomas Piketty&rsquo;s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one<br /></em><br />Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India&rsquo;s income pie is higher than ever before. <br /><br />Based on their analysis of historical data&mdash;from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics&mdash;the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India&rsquo;s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India&rsquo;s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. <br /><br />The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India&rsquo;s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty&rsquo;s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. <br /><br />The problem with Piketty&rsquo;s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India&rsquo;s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. <br /><br />What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out&mdash;by assumption&mdash;any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys.<br /><br />The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years.<br /><br />Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. <br /><br />Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India?<br /><br />The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys&mdash;which are likely to under-estimate inequality&mdash;present a worrying picture of inequality in India.<br /><br />Please <a href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html" title="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/iATqx10XSWaThxs0PBwHRO/Is-Thomas-Piketty-right-about-inequality-in-India.html">click here</a> to read more. <br /></div>'
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Is Thomas Piketty right about inequality in India? -Tadit Kundu

-Livemint.com Thomas Piketty’s estimates of inequality in India appear exaggerated on close scrutiny but the issue he raises is an important one Three years after writing a best-selling book on the growing problem of inequality in the Western world, the French economist Thomas Piketty has turned his attention to inequality in the developing world. In a recent research paper co-authored with Lucas Chancel of the Paris School of Economics, Piketty estimates that the share of the top 1% in India’s income pie is higher than ever before. Based on their analysis of historical data—from tax sources, surveys and national accounts statistics—the duo shows that the share of the top percentile (or top 1%) in India’s national income pie is at its highest level (22%) since 1922. This share had declined from 21% in the late 1930s to less than 6% in the early 1980s. They also argue that the period between 1951 and 1980 witnessed a decline in the share of the super-rich in the national income pie, and a rise in the share of the bottom half of India’s population. Between 1980 and 2014, the situation has reversed, they argue. The research paper thus presents an alarming picture of rising inequality in India during the precise period when India’s growth engine picked up pace. However, a Mint analysis suggests that Piketty’s conclusions regarding inequality may be exaggerated. While inequality may have risen over the past few decades, the alarming picture presented by Piketty may not be accurate. The problem with Piketty’s estimates lies in his assumptions. Given that survey data often understates the extent of true incomes, Piketty relies on a combination of survey and tax data to estimate India’s income distribution. In doing so, he assumes that up to the 90th percentile, i.e. for the bottom 90% of the population, survey data reflect actual income levels. For the richest 5% (those above the 95th percentile), he uses income data imputed from tax filings. Between the 90th and the 95th percentile, he uses a combination of tax and survey sources. The upper percentile threshold changes slightly across years. What this means is that the income estimates of the top end of the income distribution are fundamentally different from the estimates for the rest of the population. It also means that Piketty rules out—by assumption—any under-estimation (or under-reporting) of incomes by the bottom 90% of the population, an assumption that does not seem to draw support either from theory or common sense. While it may be fair to assume that the rich have a greater incentive to under-report incomes and may be under-sampled in household surveys, it is extraordinary to assume that only the rich have any incentive to under-report consumption and incomes in household surveys. The second problem in the assumption is that it does not take into account changes in tax administration that may have led taxmen to measure and assess top-income groups better than before. This seems to have led to an exaggeration of the income estimates of top earners for the most recent years. Piketty reports 54 variations in assumptions while reporting his results but all of those 54 variations in estimation strategy suffer from these fundamental problems. Thus, Piketty and Chancel under-estimate the incomes of the non-rich, and over-estimate the incomes of the rich. Both these effects have tended to exaggerate the estimates of inequality that they generate. Does that mean we can dismiss the issue of inequality in India? The evidence so far does not offer any room for such complacency. Even household surveys—which are likely to under-estimate inequality—present a worrying picture of inequality in India. Please click here to read more.