Book Chapter•
Targeting and universalism in poverty reduction
01 Jan 2007-
TL;DR: The authors explores debates in social policy choices and whether such provisions ought to be guided by principles of universalism or more selectively through targeting, and discusses the forces behind the shift from universalism toward selectivity in using social policies to combat poverty in the developing countries.
Abstract: This paper explores debates in social policy choices and whether such provisions ought to be guided by principles of 'universalism,' or more selectively through targeting The author discusses the forces behind the shift from universalism toward selectivity in using social policies to combat poverty in the developing countries He reviews lessons from such policies and considers the administrative difficulties of targeting in the poor countries The paper focuses on the cost-effectiveness of poverty reduction efforts, the political economy bases of policy choices, and the consequences of policy choices for individual incentive
Citations
More filters
27 Nov 2009
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a collection of critical education policy studies with a "critical education policy orientation" and present them as a handbook of matters of public concern, with a focus on the public, and its education.
Abstract: This book collects studies with a ‘critical education policy orientation’, and presents itself as a handbook of matters of public concern. The term ‘critical’ does not refer to the adoption of a particular theoretical framework or methodology, but rather it refers to a very specific ethos or way of relating to the present and the belief that the future should not be the repetition of the past. This implies a concern about what is happening in our societies today and what could or should be happening in the future. As a consequence, the contributors to the book rely on a general notion of public policy that takes on board processes, practices, and discourses at a variety of levels, in diverse governmental and non-governmental contexts, and considers the relation of policy to power, to politics and to social regulation. Following the detailed introduction that aims at picturing the landscape of studies with a ‘critical education policy orientation’, the book presents re-readings of six policy challenges; globalization, knowledge society, lifelong learning, equality/democracy/social inclusion, accountability/control/efficiency and teacher professionalism. It seeks to contextualise these in relation to issues of current global concern at the start of the 21st century. Despite the diversity of approaches, this collection of critical education policy studies shares a concern with what could be called ‘the public, and its education,’ and represents a snapshot of education policy research at a particular time.
168 citations
01 Jan 2008
TL;DR: The final report of the Health Systems Knowledge Network submitted to WHO in June 2007 describes the state of the health systems knowledge networks in the developing countries and some of the challenges faced in implementing and sustaining these systems.
Abstract: Published version of the final report of the Health Systems Knowledge Network submitted to WHO in June 2007.
136 citations
Posted Content•
TL;DR: In this article, the authors attempt to go beyond what the author sees as an unproductive confrontation between the proponents and the opponents of industrial policy and to take the debate on industrial policy forward.
Abstract: This paper attempts to go beyond what the author sees as an unproductive confrontation between the proponents and the opponents of industrial policy and to take the debate on industrial policy forward. After discussing some issues related to conceptualizing and assessing industrial policy, the paper discusses most (although not all) of the key issues emerging from the industrial policy debate. They include the wisdom or otherwise of targeting, the feasibility of the state “beating the market,” political economy questions, bureaucratic capabilities, performance measurement (especially export targets), the importance of export-related industrial policy, and the implications of changing global policy environment.
123 citations
TL;DR: The concept of social exclusion was originally developed in Europe as discussed by the authors, and has spread rapidly around the world partly due to its adoption by powerful organisations such as the World Bank and the United Nations.
Abstract: More than 300 million Indigenous Peoples around the world experience systematic racism and oppression including Europe’s Roma people.Millions of people including asylum seekers in the UK are ‘Citizens of Nowhere, forgotten by governments, ignored by census takers, amongst the World’s poorest and most disenfranchised.’ (Mydans, 2007). In 2001, 1% of the World’s population owned 40% of the World’s wealth whilst 50% of the population owned 1% of the wealth. Globally, around a billion people are living on less than US$1 a day including half of the population of Sub-Saharan Africa. In the UK in 2004/5, 3.4 million children were living in relative poverty. Are these the contours of social exclusion? Disadvantaged groups are an important part of the problem but this approach to understanding may be a significant barrier to effective action to address social exclusion. The concept of social exclusion was originally developed in Europe. Despite resistance in places such as Sub-Saharan Africa, where concepts such as human rights, sustainable development, poverty and basic needs have greater salience, the concept has spread rapidly around the world partly due to its adoption by powerful organisations such as the World Bank. There are two broad approaches to defining social exclusion and different actions flow from each. The most common is the shopping list approach in which exclusion describes a ‘state’ experienced by particular groups, for example, indigenous peoples, the poor, the homeless, the mentally ill, people with disabilities, who are excluded from a never-ending shopping list of things including:
118 citations
Cites background from "Targeting and universalism in pover..."
..., funded through taxation and social insurance, have again been recognised partly through the campaigning work of international agencies including ILO and UNDP and major civil society organisations such as Oxfam, and a growing body of evidence suggesting that these approaches are the most effective, efficient and sustainable way of reversing exclusionary processes along the four dimensions identified in the SEKN model: social, economic, cultural and political (Oxfam, 2006; Mkandawire 2005; ILO, 2005; 2006; Chung & Muntaner, 2006; UNDP 2007; Townsend, 2007)....
[...]
References
More filters
Book•
01 Jan 1990
TL;DR: In this paper, Esping-Andersen distinguishes three major types of welfare state, connecting these with variations in the historical development of different Western countries, and argues that current economic processes such as those moving toward a post-industrial order are shaped not by autonomous market forces but by the nature of states and state differences.
Abstract: Few discussions in modern social science have occupied as much attention as the changing nature of welfare states in Western societies. Gosta Esping-Andersen, one of the foremost contributors to current debates on this issue, here provides a new analysis of the character and role of welfare states in the functioning of contemporary advanced Western societies. Esping-Andersen distinguishes three major types of welfare state, connecting these with variations in the historical development of different Western countries. He argues that current economic processes, such as those moving toward a postindustrial order, are shaped not by autonomous market forces but by the nature of states and state differences. Fully informed by comparative materials, this book will have great appeal to all those working on issues of economic development and postindustrialism. Its audience will include students of sociology, economics, and politics."
16,883 citations
"Targeting and universalism in pover..." refers background in this paper
...The initial choice between targeting and universalism can lead to a political and institutional “lock-in” that can make departure from these initial choices difficult (see Esping-Andersen 1990; Pierson 2001)....
[...]
...The initial choice between targeting and universalism can lead to a political and institutional “lock-in” that can make departure from these initial choices difficult (see Esping-Andersen 1990; Pierson 2001)....
[...]
Posted Content•
TL;DR: Dollar and Kraay as mentioned in this paper found that the share of income accruing to the bottom quintile does not vary systematically with the average income, and that when average incomes rise, the average incomes of the poorest fifth of society rise proportionately.
Abstract: When average incomes rise, the average incomes of the poorest fifth of society rise proportionately. This holds across regions, periods, income levels, and growth rates. But relatively little is known about the broad forces that account for the variations across countries and across time in the share of income accruing to the poorest fifth. When average incomes rise, the average incomes of the poorest fifth of society rise proportionately. This is a consequence of the strong empirical regularity that the share of income accruing to the bottom quintile does not vary systematically with average income. Dollar and Kraay document this empirical regularity in a sample of 92 countries spanning the past four decades and show that it holds across regions, periods, income levels, and growth rates. Dollar and Kraay next ask whether the factors that explain cross-country differences in the growth rates of average incomes have differential effects on the poorest fifth of society. They find that several determinants of growth - such as good rule of law, openness to international trade, and developed financial markets - have little systematic effect on the share of income that accrues to the bottom quintile. Consequently, these factors benefit the poorest fifth of society as much as everyone else. There is some weak evidence that stabilization from high inflation and reductions in the overall size of government not only increase growth but also increase the income share of the poorest fifth in society. Finally, Dollar and Kraay examine several factors commonly thought to disproportionately benefit the poorest in society, but find little evidence of their effects. The absence of robust findings emphasizes that relatively little is known about the broad forces that account for the cross-country and intertemporal variation in the share of income accruing to the poorest fifth of society. This paper - a product of Macroeconomics and Growth, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study growth and poverty reduction. The authors may be contacted at ddollar@worldbank.org or akraay@worldbank.org.
3,407 citations
Book•
01 Jan 1996TL;DR: In this article, the authors lay the foundation for an understanding of welfare state retrenchment and highlight the factors that limit or facilitate the success of such a strategy, using quantitative and qualitative data from four cases (Britain, United States, Germany, and Sweden).
Abstract: This essay seeks to lay the foundation for an understanding of welfare state retrenchment. Previous discussions have generally relied, at least implicitly, on a reflexive application of theories designed to explain welfare state expansion. Such an approach is seriously flawed. Not only is the goal of retrenchment (avoiding blame for cutting existing programs) far different from the goal of expansion (claiming credit for new social benefits), but the welfare state itself vastly alters the terrain on which the politics of social policy is fought out. Only an appreciation of how mature social programs create a new politics can allow us to make sense of the welfare state's remarkable resilience over the past two decades of austerity. Theoretical argument is combined with quantitative and qualitative data from four cases (Britain, the United States, Germany, and Sweden) to demonstrate the shortcomings of conventional wisdom and to highlight the factors that limit or facilitate retrenchment success.
3,152 citations
Posted Content•
TL;DR: The authors found that the share of income accruing to the bottom quintile does not vary systematically with the average income, and that when average income rises, the average incomes of the poorest fifth of society rise proportionately.
Abstract: When average income rises, the average incomes of the poorest fifth of society rise proportionately. This is a consequence of the strong empirical regularity that the share of income accruing to the bottom quintile does not vary systematically with average income. The authors document this empirical regularity in a sample of 92 countries spanning the past four decades and show that it holds across regions, periods, income levels, and growth rates. The authors next ask whether the factors that explain cross-country differences in the growth rates of average incomes have differential effects on the poorest fifth of society. They find that several determinants of growth--such as good rule of law, opennness to international trade, and developed financial markets--have little systematic effect on the share of income that accrues to the bottom quintile. Consequently, these factors benefit the poorest fifth of society as much as everyone else. Thee is some weak evidence that stabilization from high inflation and reductions in the overall size of government not only increase growth but also increase the income share of the poorest fifth in society. Finally, the authors examine several factors commonly thought to disproportionately benefit the poorest in society, but find little evidence of their effects. The absence of robust findings emphasizes that relatively little is known about the broad forces that account for the cross-country and intertemporal variation in the share of income accruing to the poorest fifth of society.
1,952 citations