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Title: The Race Beween Education and Technology
Citation Type: Book, Section
Publication Year: 2018
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Abstract: Economic inequality since 1980 increased greatly. The earnings of college graduates rose at a far greater clip than did the earnings of those who stopped at high school graduation. The incomes of top managers and professionals increased at a much faster rate than did those of ordinary workers. The increase in inequality was more all-encompassing than a widening between different education levels or occupational groups. The expanding gap also occurred within groups, even within educational levels. Among college graduates, for example, those with degrees from institutions with higher standards for admissions earned relatively more over time. Those who went to more prestigious law schools did better relative to other law school graduates. The widening occurred within virtually all groups in a manner that is not easily explained by the usual observable factors such as years of schooling. At almost all educational and experience levels, for example, the earnings for those near the top of the distribution increased considerably relative to those near the middle or close to the bottom.1 The pervasive and rapid increase in economic inequality has led many to search for explanatory factors that are themselves pervasive and rapid. A key suspect is skill-biased technological change, particularly that involved in the use of computers.2 Chief among other factors that have been mentioned are increased international trade and outsourcing, the greater immigration of low-wage workers, the decline in privatesector unionization, the erosion of the real value of the federal minimum wage, and changes in social norms concerning the pay of executives and other top-end earners. Here we mainly discuss the role of technological change.
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Authors: Goldin, Claudia; Katz, Lawrence F.
Editors: Grusky, David; Hill, Jasmine
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Volume Title: Inequality in the 21st Century: A Reader
Publisher: Westview Prints
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Data Collections: IPUMS CPS
Topics: Other, Race and Ethnicity
Countries: United States