Wealth differences between households in Finland
Background to the study
The Academy of Finland granted funds in 1981 for a preliminary study on the distribution of wealth in Finland, led by Jukka Pekkarinen and Matti Tuomala. The preliminary study report, The Distribution of Wealth in Finland, was completed in autumn 1981. It concluded that a sample drawn from the taxation register was the appropriate research method for studying the distribution of wealth. The Academy of Finland granted an appropriation for the project at the end of 1981. The sample was drawn from the 1981 taxation register. The data relating to the sample have subsequently been supplemented using the register from the 1980 population and housing census. It has also been possible to draw on a research appropriation granted by the National Housing Board for examining the distribution of housing wealth.
The study has been carried out primarily at the Department of Economics of the University of Helsinki. In addition to Jukka Pekkarinen and Matti Tuomala, who served as project directors, Kari Takala and Jarmo Kontulainen participated in various phases as researchers or research assistants. Ilpo Suoniemi and Jouko Vilmunen, in turn, acted as external assistants to the project and provided considerable help with the processing of the data.
The project began at the start of 1982. The completion of the study has been delayed for a number of reasons. It has been a side pursuit for its authors, one that has repeatedly had to give way to more pressing projects. Only limited resources have been available for processing the extensive dataset. Changes in computing equipment and problems encountered in linking the registers have further slowed the work at various stages. (AI translation)
- ISSN: 0358-5980
- ISBN: 951-9281-99-1
