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Debunking the Stereotype of the Lazy Welfare Recipient: Evidence from Cash Transfer Programs Worldwide

Author

Listed:
  • Banerjee, Abhijit

    (MIT)

  • Hanna, Rema

    (Harvard University)

  • Kreindler, Gabriel

    (MIT)

  • Olken, Benjamin A.

    (MIT)

Abstract

Targeted transfer programs for poor citizens have become increasingly common in the developing world. Yet, a common concern among policy makers - both in developing as well as developed countries - is that such programs tend to discourage work. We re-analyze the data from 7 randomized controlled trials of government-run cash transfer programs in six developing countries throughout the world, and find no systematic evidence that cash transfer programs discourage work.

Suggested Citation

  • Banerjee, Abhijit & Hanna, Rema & Kreindler, Gabriel & Olken, Benjamin A., 2015. "Debunking the Stereotype of the Lazy Welfare Recipient: Evidence from Cash Transfer Programs Worldwide," Working Paper Series 15-076, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
    • Handle: RePEc:ecl:harjfk:15-076
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    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Debunking the Stereotype of the Lazy Welfare Recipient: Evidence from Cash Transfer Programs Worldwide
      by maximorossi in NEP-LTV blog on 2016-10-06 00:01:23

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    Cited by:

    1. Palacios, Alfredo, 2016. "Impacto de los Programas de Transferencias de Ingresos en la Calidad de la Vivienda Familiar: Evidencia para el Plan de Inclusión Social, Argentina [Impact of Cash Transfer Programs on the Quality ," MPRA Paper 102482, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Sudhanshu Handa & Silvio Daidone & Amber Peterman & Benjamin Davis & Audrey Pereira & Tia Palermo & Jennifer Yablonski, 2018. "Myth-Busting? Confronting Six Common Perceptions about Unconditional Cash Transfers as a Poverty Reduction Strategy in Africa," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 33(2), pages 259-298.
    3. Brudevold-Newman, Andrew & Honorati, Maddalena & Jakiela, Pamela & Ozier, Owen, 2017. "A Firm of One's Own: Experimental Evidence on Credit Constraints and Occupational Choice," IZA Discussion Papers 10583, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Kanbur, Ravi, 2017. "The Digital Revolution and Targeting Public Expenditure for Poverty Reduction," CEPR Discussion Papers 12089, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    5. Bergolo, M. & Cruces, G., 2021. "The anatomy of behavioral responses to social assistance when informal employment is high," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    6. M. Caridad Araujo & Mariano Bosch & Norbert Schady, 2017. "Can Cash Transfers Help Households Escape an Intergenerational Poverty Trap?," NBER Chapters, in: The Economics of Poverty Traps, pages 357-382, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Morel Berendson, Ricardo & Girón, Liz, 2022. "The multidimensional impacts of the Conditional Cash Transfer program Juntos in Peru," MERIT Working Papers 2022-012, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    8. Margherita Calderone, 2017. "Are there different spillover effects from cash transfers to men and women?: Impacts on investments in education in post-war Uganda," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2017-93, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    9. Oriana Bandiera & Robin Burgess & Narayan Das & Selim Gulesci & Imran Rasul & Munshi Sulaiman, 2017. "Labor Markets and Poverty in Village Economies," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 132(2), pages 811-870.
    10. Ioana Marinescu, 2018. "No Strings Attached: The Behavioral Effects of U.S. Unconditional Cash Transfer Programs," NBER Working Papers 24337, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Stefano Staffolani, 2023. "Deprivazione, povert? e redistribuzione del reddito," PRISMA Economia - Societ? - Lavoro, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2023(1-2), pages 47-69.
    12. Santiago Garganta & Leonardo Gasparini & Mariana Marchionni, 2017. "Cash transfers and female labor force participation: the case of AUH in Argentina," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 6(1), pages 1-22, December.
    13. Franziska Gassmann & Lorena Zardo Trindade, 2019. "Effect of Means-Tested Social Transfers on Labor Supply: Heads Versus Spouses—An Empirical Analysis of Work Disincentives in the Kyrgyz Republic," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 31(2), pages 189-214, April.
    14. Damon Jones & Ioana Marinescu, 2022. "The Labor Market Impacts of Universal and Permanent Cash Transfers: Evidence from the Alaska Permanent Fund," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 14(2), pages 315-340, May.
    15. Margherita Calderone, 2017. "Are there different spillover effects from cash transfers to men and women? Impacts on investments in education in post-war Uganda," WIDER Working Paper Series 093, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    16. M. Caridad Araujo & Mariano Bosch & Norbert Schady, 2017. "Can Cash Transfers Help Households Escape an Inter-Generational Poverty Trap?," NBER Chapters,in: The Economics of Asset Accumulation and Poverty Traps National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    17. Joan Vilá, 2019. "Respuestas en los ingresos frente a un programa de transferencias monetarias: evidencia de un notch a partir de registros administrativos de Uruguay," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 19-07, Instituto de Economía - IECON.
    18. Gilbert Richard & Murphy Nora A. & Stepka Allison & Barrett Mark & Worku Dianne, 2018. "Would a Basic Income Guarantee Reduce the Motivation to Work? An Analysis of Labor Responses in 16 Trial Programs," Basic Income Studies, De Gruyter, vol. 13(2), pages 1-12, December.
    19. Le, Nga T.Q. & Groot, Wim & Tomini, Sonila & Tomini, Florian, 2017. "Effects of health insurance on labour supply: Evidence from the health care fund for the poor in Viet Nam," MERIT Working Papers 2017-050, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).

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