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Regressive effects of regulation on wages

Author

Listed:
  • James B. Bailey

    (Providence College)

  • Diana W. Thomas

    (Creighton University)

  • Joseph R. Anderson

    (Creighton University)

Abstract

A growing body of literature analyzing the distributive consequences of regulation suggests that regulation may have particularly detrimental effects on lower-income households. Regulation can be regressive if it represents the preferences of the wealthy while imposing costs on all households. The specific channel through which regulation may impose costs on lower-income households is its effects on prices and wages. In this issue, Chambers et al. (Public Choice. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11127-017-0479-z , 2017) investigate the impact of regulation on prices. They find that regulation raises consumer prices; regulatory interventions therefore are regressive because lower income consumers tend to spend larger percentages of their budgets on regulated goods and services. In this paper, we seek to analyze the effect of regulation on wages across different income levels and occupations.

Suggested Citation

  • James B. Bailey & Diana W. Thomas & Joseph R. Anderson, 2019. "Regressive effects of regulation on wages," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 180(1), pages 91-103, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:pubcho:v:180:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1007_s11127-018-0517-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s11127-018-0517-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Stoyanov, Andrey & Zubanov, Nick, 2025. "Exposure to Regulation and Income Inequality in Local Labor Markets: Evidence from the U.S. over the Past Half-Century," IZA Discussion Papers 17820, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Mark Pingle, 2022. "Addressing threats like Covid: why we will tend to over-react and how we can do better," Mind & Society: Cognitive Studies in Economics and Social Sciences, Springer;Fondazione Rosselli, vol. 21(1), pages 9-23, June.
    3. Marc T. Law & Patrick A. McLaughlin, 2022. "Industry size and regulation: Evidence from US states," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 192(1), pages 1-27, July.
    4. Dustin Chambers & Colin O’Reilly, 2022. "The economic theory of regulation and inequality," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 193(1), pages 63-78, October.
    5. Bavaro, Michele & Patriarca, Fabrizio, 2022. "Referrals, intergenerational mobility and human capital accumulation," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    6. Choudhury, Sanchari, 2023. "The causal effect of regulation on income inequality across the U.S. states," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    7. Chambers, Dustin & O'Reilly, Colin, 2022. "Regulation and income inequality in the United States," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    8. Edward Peter Stringham, 2023. "Banking regulation got you down? The rise of fintech and cryptointermediation in Africa," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 197(3), pages 455-470, December.
    9. Staples, Malone & Chambers, Dustin & Malone, Trey, 2020. "The economic geography of beer regulations," Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University 307180, Center for Growth and Opportunity.
    10. Chambers, Dustin & O'Reilly, Colin, 2019. "Entry Regulations and Income Inequality at the Regional Level," Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy, Mid-Continent Regional Science Association, vol. 49(01), April.
    11. Mariot, Evandro Antonio Sbalcheiro & Barbas, Stela & Nunes, Rui, 2024. "Enforcing the right to health in private health systems through Judicialization what can we learn from the scoping review of the cross-national perspective?," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    12. Joshua C. Hall & Shishir Shakya, 2019. "Federal Regulations and U.S. Energy Sector Output," Working Papers 19-02, Department of Economics, West Virginia University.
    13. repec:jpe:journl:1807 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Aaron J. Staples & Dustin Chambers & Trey Malone, 2022. "How many regulations does it take to get a beer? The geography of beer regulations," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(4), pages 1197-1210, October.
    15. Diana W. Thomas, 2018. "A process perspective on regulation: Who bears the dispersed costs of regulation?," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 31(4), pages 395-402, December.
    16. Kim Oosterlinck & Anne-Sophie Radermecker, 2021. "Regulation or Reputation? Evidence from the Art Market," Working Papers CEB 21-006, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    17. Dean, James & Geloso, Vincent, 2024. "Poverty spells and economic freedom: Canadian evidence," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 224(C), pages 282-296.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Regulation; Wages; Inequality; Employment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K23 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - Regulated Industries and Administrative Law
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation

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