Robust Inequality of Opportunity Comparisons: Theory and Application to Early Childhood Policy Evaluation

Francesco Andreoli; Tarjei Havnes; Arnaud Lefranc

doi:10.1162/rest_a_00747

Robust Inequality of Opportunity Comparisons: Theory and Application to Early Childhood Policy Evaluation

Francesco Andreoli¹; Tarjei Havnes²; Arnaud Lefranc³

¹ Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research · ² University of Oslo · ³ University of Cergy-Pontoise, CNRS, THEMA, and IZA

The Review of Economics and Statistics 2019 open access

This paper develops a criterion to assess equalization of opportunity that is consistent with theoretical views of equality of opportunity. We characterize inequality of opportunity as a situation where some groups in society enjoy an illegitimate advantage. In this context, equalization of opportunity requires that the extent of the illegitimate advantage enjoyed by the privileged groups falls. Robustness requires that this judgment be supported by the broadest class of individual preferences. We formalize this criterion in a decision-theoretic framework and derive an empirical condition for equalization of opportunity based on observed opportunity distributions. The criterion is used to assess the effectiveness of child care at equalizing opportunity among children, using quantile treatment effects estimates of a major child care reform in Norway. Overall, we find strong evidence supporting equalization of opportunity.

DOI: 10.1162/rest_a_00747
Volume: 101 (2)
Pages: 355-369
Language: en
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