The Economics of Education
Human Capital, Family Background and Inequality

An economic perspective on the demand and supply of education.

Daniele Checchi (Author)

9780521793100, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 23 March 2006

292 pages, 25 tables
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.1 cm, 0.6 kg

'… a treasure trove of impartial scholarship. Thanks to Checchi, the numerate reader will be empowered to construct educational policies based on the best analyses available.' The Times Higher Education Supplement

In an important contribution to educational policy, Daniele Checchi offers an economic perspective on the demand and supply of education. He explores the reasons why, beyond a certain point, investment in education has not resulted in reductions in social inequalities. Starting with the seminal work of Gary Becker, Checchi provides an extensive survey of the literature on human capital and social capital formation. He draws on individual data on intergenerational transmission of income and education for the USA, Germany and Italy, as well as aggregate data on income and educational inequality for a much wider range of countries. Checchi explores whether resources spent in education are effective in raising students' achievement, as well as analysing alternative ways of financing education. The Economics of Education thus provides the analytical tools necessary to understand the complex relationships between current income inequality, access to education and future inequality.

List of figures
List of tables
Preface
1. The relevance of education
2. The demand for education
3. Liquidity constraints and access to education
4. The supply of education
5. Education financing
6. The return on education
7. Intergenerational persistence
References
Subject index
Author index.

Subject Areas: Economic theory & philosophy [KCA], Philosophy & theory of education [JNA]