Estimating Relative Standard of Living in the United States Using Cross-Migration Data

A new estimator links migration data to a random utility "voting with your feet" model to compare the relative living standards of pairs of regions. It is argued that this estimator has a firmer theoretical basis and uses migration information more efficiently than previous methods. An algorithm converts pairwise comparisons into rankings of the U.S. states for 1970, 1980, and 1990. The rankings indicate living standards were highest in the Northwest (1970, 1980) and the south Atlantic coast (1990). A nonparametric test suggests that the system was in disequilibrium in 1980 (probably due to energy price shocks), but near equilibrium in 1970 and 1990.     

Reviews

“MUST WE LOSE AFRICA?” by Colin Legum. (Allen, London) pp. 264: 16/ stg.

ANCIENT FOUNDATIONS OF ECONOMICS IN INDIA, by K. T. Shah, Bombay, 1954. Pp. 175.

THE PROSPECTS FOR COMMUNIST CHINA, by W. W. Rostov, in collaboration with Richard W. Hatch, Frank A. Kierman, jun., and Alexander Eckstein. Technology Press and John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1955. Pp. xx plus 379. $5.00.     

Book reviews

“THE SOUTH SEAS IN TRANSITION” by W. E. H. Stanner. Issued under the auspices of the Australian Institute of International Affairs and the International Secretariat, Institute of Pacific Affairs and published by the Australasian Publishing Company. 1953. Pp. viii and 448. Three maps. Australian Published price, 50/‐ net.

SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY EN MELANESIA: A REVIEW OF RESEARCH, by A. P. Elkin. Published under the auspices of the South Pacific Commission. Oxford University Press, London, Melbourne, New York, 1953. Pp. xiii, 166 Maps. Price 27/6.

“THE AUSTRALIAN WAY OF LIFE.” Edited by George Caiger, under the auspices of the Australian Institute of International Affairs. Pp. xvi and 158. Published by William Heinemann Ltd., 1953. Australian price, 15/6.     

Old Khotanese synchronic umlaut

This paper has received much beneficial input from R. E. Emmerick and P. O. Skjærvø; final responsibility here is mine. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada funded presentation of this topic at the XXXII International Congress for Asian and North African Studies, 25–30 August 1986, Hamburg.