International Convergence and Inequality of Human Development: 1975-2001

Abstract

The concept of convergence is extended to non-income components of human development index and the index itself. Evidence of weak absolute convergence is found over 1975-2001. The results are robust and verified by various conditional ß-convergence models and also supported by the evidence of weak s-convergence. Population weighted analyses provide support for polarisation amongst developing countries but a slight reduction in world inequality. The dynamics of regional analysis reveals a movement of sub-Saharan Africa towards the low band of human development with Asia and Latin America making progress. High immobility of the early part of the period is followed by considerable upward and downward mobility in the latter part indicating a possible case of the “twin peaks” type of polarisation.