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Growth is Failing the Poor: The Unbalanced Distribution of the Benefits and Costs of Global Economic Growth

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  • David Woodward
  • Andrew Simms

Abstract

During 1990-2001, only 0.6 per cent of additional global income per capita contributed to reducing poverty below the $1-a-day line, down from 2.2 per cent during 1981-1990, and barely half the poor’s share of global income. Coupled with the constraints on global growth associated with climate change, and the disproportionately adverse net impact of climate change on the poor, this casts serious doubt on the dominant view that global growth should be the primary means of poverty reduction. Rather than growth, policies and the global economic system should focus directly on achieving social and environmental objectives.

Suggested Citation

  • David Woodward & Andrew Simms, 2006. "Growth is Failing the Poor: The Unbalanced Distribution of the Benefits and Costs of Global Economic Growth," Working Papers 20, United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs.
    • Handle: RePEc:une:wpaper:20
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    File URL: http://www.un.org/esa/desa/papers/2006/wp20_2006.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    8. Ravallion, Martin, 2004. "Pro-poor growth : A primer," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3242, The World Bank.
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    Cited by:

    1. Isabel Ortiz, 2007. "Social Policy," Policy Notes 6, United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs.
    2. Freije, Samuel & Porto, Guido, 2008. "Comments," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 123326, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Ortiz, Isabel, 2007. "Politica Social [Social Policy]," MPRA Paper 35162, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economic growth; income distribution; world inequality; poverty; environment; climate change;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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