Tricks with the lorenz curve

Abstract

This note develops, for the Gini coefficient of inequality, a very simple generalization that directly incorporates judgments on ‘relative inter-group inequality aversion' by making the inequality measure sensitive to the skewness of the Lorenz curve. The resulting family of inequality indices can be seen as complements to the Gini coefficient: some members of the family reflect ‘left-leaning', and others ‘right-leaning', distributional values relative to the ‘centrist' position assumed by Gini.Lorenz Curve, Gini coefficient, skewness