Equalization of Opportunity: Definitions, Implementable Conditions and Application to Early-Childhood Policy Evaluation.

• DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.2614951
• Publication Date: 2015-06-10T18:17:13Z
• Authors: Andreoli Francesco; Tarjei Havnes; Arnaud Lefranc
• Keywords: equality of opportunity, public policy, inverse stochastic dominance, economic distance, income distribution, child care, pre-school; pre-school; Equality of opportunity; public policy; inverse stochastic dominance; economic distance; income distribution; child care; pre-school; ddc:330; economic distance; jel:D63; public policy; income distribution; I24; inverse stochastic dominance; 05 social sciences; 1. No poverty; jel:C14; jel:J62; equality of opportunity; jel:I24; 0502 economics and business; 8. Economic growth; J62; C14; D63; 10. No inequality; child care

This paper develops a criterion to assess equalization of opportunity that is consistent with theoretical views equality opportunity. We characterize inequality as situation where some groups in society enjoy an unfair advantage. In this context, requires the extent advantage enjoyed by privileged falls. Robustness judgement be supported broadest class individual preferences. formalize decision theoretic framework, and derive empirical condition for based on observed distributions. The used effectiveness child care at equalizing among children, using quantile treatment effects estimates major reform Norway. Overall, we find significantly equalized Norwegian children.