How does the Human Development Index (HDI) account for income inequality?

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How does the Human Development Index (HDI) account for income inequality?

The Human Development Index (HDI) takes into account income inequality by incorporating a measure called the Inequality-adjusted HDI (IHDI). The IHDI adjusts the HDI by considering the distribution of income within a country, in addition to the average income level.

To account for income inequality, the IHDI uses a methodology that assigns a penalty to countries with higher levels of inequality. This penalty is applied by adjusting the HDI downward based on the extent of income inequality within a country. The greater the income inequality, the larger the penalty applied to the HDI.

The IHDI considers income inequality by using a measure called the Gini coefficient, which quantifies the level of income inequality within a country. The Gini coefficient ranges from 0 to 1, where 0 represents perfect equality and 1 represents maximum inequality. Countries with higher Gini coefficients will have a larger penalty applied to their HDI.

By incorporating the IHDI, the Human Development Index provides a more comprehensive measure of human development by not only considering average income levels but also taking into account the distribution of income within a country. This allows for a more nuanced understanding of the overall well-being and development of a population, beyond just economic indicators.