The effect of allocation function in budgeting to reduce income inequality in Brazil: an analysis of spending on education and health from 1995 to 2012

Abstract

Income inequality is seen as a major problem of contemporary society. In order to reverse inequality the state can use allocative budget functions. This study sought to identify the impacts of allocative budget functions on income inequality for Brazilian states from 1995 to 2012. Spending on education and health was considered as an allocative function proxy, while the Gini coefficient, the Theil coefficient, was used as a proxy for income inequality. This found the ratio between the richest 10% and the poorest 40%, and the ratio between the richest 20% and poorest 20%. The functional relationship between the two sets of variables was explored in the analysis of panel data and Tobit regression. Considering aggregate expenditure on education and health of states and municipalities in the period, it was concluded that federative units that invested more in health have been better at reducing income inequality, with the opposite effect occurring for the cost of education. When spending on health and education are broken down into several sections, it can be seen that the federation units with higher volume of spending in the following sub-functions (2nd level of function) – primary care, hospital care, preventive support and outpatient care, and early childhood education – have made greater gains in reducing income inequality.