Download or read book Income Inequality in Small States and the Caribbean: Stylized Facts and Determinants written by Arnold McIntyre and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2021-02-12 with total page 22 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rising income inequality has emerged as a major policy issue facing policymakers, but there is a dearth of empirical work on inequality in small states, including the Caribbean. Despite data limitations, the empirical analysis using a sample of small states finds that increased openness and deeper economic integration including financial market openness is associated with lower income inequality, whereas elevated debt levels limit fiscal space and are associated with higher income inequality. An important policy implication is that well targeted social sector spending aimed at improving education and health indicators will support increased redistribution and reduce income inequality.