ABSTRACT

Following a neo-structuralist perspective, this study presents a development puzzle for Latin American countries (LACs): a triangular relation amongst peripherality (increased terms-of-trade volatility and technological backwardness), income inequality, and per-capita income. We employ a simultaneous equation model using three-stage least squares (3SLS) to analyse this triangular relation. We find that a decrease in income inequality and an increase in per-capita income were mutually reinforcing in 14 LACs between 1995 and 2014. Although technological progress increases per-capita income, it partly mitigates this increase by increasing income inequality. Additionally, the increasing effects of foreign sources of technology, including foreign direct investment (FDI), on income inequality are mitigated in countries with higher technological capabilities. While an improvement in commodity terms-of-trade expectedly increases per-capita income and decreases income inequality in South American countries, their volatility is mostly insignificant.

摘要

根据新结构主义的观点，本研究提出了拉丁美洲国家（LAC）的发展难题：外围性（贸易条件波动性和技术落后程度增加），收入不平等和人均收入之间的三角关系。我们采用使用三阶段最小二乘（3SLS）的联立方程模型来分析此三角关系。我们发现，在1995年至2014年之间，14个LAC的收入不平等的减少和人均收入的增加是相互促进的。尽管技术进步增加了人均收入，但它通过增加收入不平等而部分缓解了这种增加。此外，包括外国直接投资（FDI）在内的外国技术来源的影响日益严重，在技​​术能力更高的国家，收入不平等问题得到缓解。虽然商品贸易条件的改善预计会增加南美国家的人均收入并减少收入不平等，但它们的波动性并不大。