Data for: How price inelastic is demand for gasoline in fuel-subsidizing economies?

Abstract of associated article: In recent years, governments that have historically subsidized domestic fuel consumption face an ever-growing challenge in maintaining fuel subsidies and have embarked on subsidy reform. This paper estimates the price and income elasticity of demand for gasoline in countries where fuel prices are government-subsidized. We make use of biennial panel road-sector data for 32 countries over the 1998–2010 period and find demand for gasoline to be price inelastic both in the short run and long run. We estimate the short-run price and income elasticities at −0.05 and 0.16 and the long-run price and income elasticities at −0.25 and 0.81, respectively. It is our contention that concerned governments should play an active role in identifying and committing to a road map to progressively abandoning fuel subsidies. They should also not be discouraged by relatively small consumption corrections in the short run. A reduction in subsidies can eventually release considerable amount of resources for more crucial and potentially growth-enhancing public services such as education and health.关联论文摘要：近年来，长期为国内燃油消费提供补贴的各国政府，在维持燃油补贴方面面临愈发严峻的挑战，遂启动补贴改革进程。本文针对燃油价格受政府补贴的国家，估算了汽油需求的价格弹性（price elasticity）与收入弹性（income elasticity）。我们采用1998年至2010年间32个国家的两年期道路部门面板数据（panel data），研究发现，无论短期还是长期，汽油需求均缺乏价格弹性。经估算，短期价格弹性与收入弹性分别为-0.05和0.16，长期价格弹性与收入弹性则分别为-0.25和0.81。本文认为，相关国家政府应积极制定并承诺逐步取消燃油补贴的路线图，同时不应因短期消费需求的小幅调整而却步。补贴削减最终可释放大量资源，用于教育、医疗等更关键且可能促进增长的公共服务。