This book presents a rigorous treatment of the mathematical instruments available for dealing with income distributions, in particular Lorenz curves and related methods. The methods examined allow us to analyze, compare and modify such distributions from an economic and social perspective....

Functional classes of Lorenz curves are derived from a generalization of a relative poverty notion. All these Lorenz curves compare individual income to the average of all larger or all smaller incomes. The parameters of the Lorenz curves are effectively computed from empirical income data by...

Majority coalitions are formed such that they can redistribute incomes to their favour. When inequality is to be increased in the interest of some, coalition partners must be found by compensation schemes. Compensation minimisation is shown to lead to the coalition partners being either a...