00000caa a22000003i 4500 UP-1685594773862408919 Buklod 20210423173403.0 m | | ta 210423s2017 xx a r |||| u|eng d (iLib)UPBAG-00039845968 BAG rda eng ARTICLE-258 Williamson, Jeffrey G. author. Philippine inequality across the twentieth century slim evidence, but fat questions Jeffrey G. Williamson. 2017. pages [37]-60 illustrations 25 cm text rdacontent unmediated rdamedia volume rdacarrier Title was 'Philippine Review of Business and Economics' until 1979. Title changed to 'Philippine Review of Economics and Business' from 1980-2000, and again changed to 'Philippine Review of Economics' since 2001. Includes bibliographical references (pages 56-60). In spite of persistent debates about income inequality and pro-poor policy in the Philippines, its history over the past century has been ignored, at least by economists. This is surprising given that the Philippines already had its first census in 1903, long before its neighbors, augmented by other relevant evidence embedded in official documents generated by the American insular government. It is also surprising given that we know that income distributions change only very slowly and must be examined over the long run to identify its drivers. This essay reviews the thin historical evidence and proposes explanations. There is no Kuznets Curve, and no Marxian, Pikettian, or other grand endogenous inequality theory at work, but there are dramatic episodes of change. It appears that there was an inequality rise up to World War 1, a fall between the world wars, a rise to high levels by the 1950s, and an almost certain rise up to the end of the century which, due to mismeasurement, looks instead like stasis. We need to collect better evidence to confirm these narratives and to assess competing hypotheses. Income distribution Philippines. The Philippine Review of Business and Economics Vol. LIV, No. 2 (December 2017), p. [37]-60. Request full-text access via UPB University Library through https://forms.gle/KZjBv7aRtY6jiL5E9 (viewed 23 April 2021) UPBAG UPBAG-MAIN ARTICLE-258 Analytics