Income Convergence - A Delusion

Several recent papers regarding regional economic growth have stated that regional differences in per capita incomes are diminishing over time; that is, inter-regional per capita incomes are supposedly converging. It is the contention of this study that the supposed convergence of incomes is a delusion fostered by the usage of relative measurements. Although area per capita incomes is relative in terms may appear to be converging, in absolute dollar terms they are in fact diverging.