Labor Supply Responses to Large Social Transfers: Longitudinal Evidence from South Africa

Victoria Hosegood, Anne Case and Cally Ardington

American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2009, vol. 1, issue 1, 22-48

Abstract: We quantify the labor supply responses of prime-aged adults to the presence of pensioners in their households, using longitudinal data collected in South Africa. We compare households and individuals before and after pension receipt and pension loss, which allows us to control for a host of unobservable household and individual characteristics that may determine labor market behavior. We find large cash transfers to the elderly lead to increased employment among prime-aged adults, which occurs primarily through labor migration. The pension's impact is attributable to the increase in household resources it represents, which can be used to stake migrants until they become self-sufficient, and to the presence of pensioners who can care for small children, which allows prime-aged adults to look for work elsewhere. (JEL H23, H55, I38, J22, O15)

JEL-codes: H23 H55 I38 J22 O15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
Note: DOI: 10.1257/app.1.1.22
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (180)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Labor supply responses to large social transfers: Longitudinal evidence from South Africa (2008)
Working Paper: Labor supply responses to large social transfers: Longitudinal evidence from South Africa (2007)
Working Paper: Labor Supply Responses to Large Social Transfers: Longitudinal Evidence from South Africa (2007)
Working Paper: LABOR SUPPLY RESPONSES TO LARGE SOCIAL TRANSFERS: LONGITUDINAL EVIDENCE FROM SOUTH AFRICA (2007)
Working Paper: Labor supply responses to large social transfers: Longitudinal evidence from South Africa (2007)
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