How strong is the evidence for the existence of poverty traps? A multi country assessment

Andy McKay and Emilie Perge (emilie.perge@gmail.com)

Working Paper Series from Department of Economics, University of Sussex Business School

Abstract: In this paper, we focus on the role of assets in relation to chronic poverty. In particular, we consider the issue of whether it is not just low levels of assets which identify and explain chronic poverty, but also whether the asset accumulation process displays non-linearities and non-convexities that could explain why some households experience persistent poverty. We use parametric and nonparametric methods to test for evidence of the existence of an asset-based poverty trap mechanism across seven panel data sets, in five countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America, and in so doing add substantially to the existing evidence base on this issue.

Keywords: poverty traps; assets; chronic poverty; parametric and non-parametric tests (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I32 O12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ltv and nep-sea
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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http://www.sussex.ac.uk/economics/documents/wps25-2011-mckay-perge.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: How Strong is the Evidence for the Existence of Poverty Traps? A Multicountry Assessment (2013)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sus:susewp:2511

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