Redistributive Public Employment
Working Paper 6746
DOI 10.3386/w6746
Issue Date
Politicians may use disguised' redistributive policies in order to circumvent opposition to explicit tax-transfer schemes. First, we present a theoretical model that formalizes this hypothesis; then we provide evidence that in US cities, politicians use public employment as such a redistributive device. We find that city employment is significantly higher in cities where income inequality and ethnic fragmentation are higher.
Published Versions
Alesina, Alberto, Reza Baqir and William Easterly. "Redistributive Public Employment," Journal of Urban Economics, 2000, v48(2,Sep), 219-241. citation courtesy of