IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/diedps/62016.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The political economy of cash transfers: a comparative analysis of Latin American and sub-Saharan African experiences

Author

Listed:
  • Scarlato, Margherita
  • D'Agostino, Giorgio

Abstract

This paper compares the consolidated experience of conditional cash transfers in Latin America with a variety of models of cash transfers in middle- and low-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa. We review the recent literature with the aim to highlight the underlying political economy factors that have underpinned the emergence and scaling-up of various kinds of social protection strategies in the two regions. From this review, some implications and policy suggestions are drawn regarding the opportunities and challenges for cash transfers in the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Scarlato, Margherita & D'Agostino, Giorgio, 2016. "The political economy of cash transfers: a comparative analysis of Latin American and sub-Saharan African experiences," IDOS Discussion Papers 6/2016, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:diedps:62016
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/199469/1/die-dp-2016-06.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nora Lustig & Luis F. Lopez-Calva & Eduardo Ortiz-Juarez & Célestin Monga, 2016. "Deconstructing the Decline in Inequality in Latin America," International Economic Association Series, in: Kaushik Basu & Joseph E. Stiglitz (ed.), Inequality and Growth: Patterns and Policy, chapter 7, pages 212-247, Palgrave Macmillan.
    2. Gentilini, Ugo & Omamo, Steven Were, 2011. "Social protection 2.0: Exploring issues, evidence and debates in a globalizing world," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 329-340, June.
    3. Lustig, Nora & Lopez-Calva, Luis F. & Ortiz-Juarez, Eduardo, 2013. "Declining Inequality in Latin America in the 2000s: The Cases of Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 129-141.
    4. Miller, Candace M. & Tsoka, Maxton & Reichert, Kathryn, 2011. "The impact of the Social Cash Transfer Scheme on food security in Malawi," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 230-238, April.
    5. repec:fpr:ifprib:michelleadato is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Sudhanshu Handa & Benjamin Davis, 2006. "The Experience of Conditional Cash Transfers in Latin America and the Caribbean," Working Papers 06-07, Agricultural and Development Economics Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO - ESA).
    7. John Maluccio & Alexis Murphy & Ferdinando Regalia, 2010. "Does supply matter? Initial schooling conditions and the effectiveness of conditional cash transfers for grade progression in Nicaragua," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 2(1), pages 87-116.
    8. Serdeczny, Olivia & Waters, Eleanor & Chan, Sander, 2016. "Non-economic loss and damage in the context of climate change: understanding the challenges," IDOS Discussion Papers 3/2016, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    9. Cecchini, Simone & Madariaga, Aldo, 2011. "Conditional cash transfer programmes: the recent experience in Latin America and the Caribbean," Cuadernos de la CEPAL, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), number 27855 edited by Eclac, January.
    10. Daniel Gilligan & John Hoddinott & Alemayehu Seyoum Taffesse, 2009. "The Impact of Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Programme and its Linkages," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(10), pages 1684-1706.
    11. Armando Barrientos & David Hulme, 2009. "Social Protection for the Poor and Poorest in Developing Countries: Reflections on a Quiet Revolution," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(4), pages 439-456.
    12. Benjamin Davis & Marie Gaarder & Sudhanshu Handa & Jenn Yablonski, 2012. "Evaluating the impact of cash transfer programmes in sub-Saharan Africa: an introduction to the special issue," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(1), pages 1-8, March.
    13. Ulriksen, Marianne S. & Plagerson, Sophie, 2014. "Social Protection: Rethinking Rights and Duties," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 755-765.
    14. Brüntrup, Michael & Becker, Katharina & Prothmann, Jan & Ostermann, Silja & Gaebler, Martina & Herrmann , Raoul, 2016. "Policies and institutions for assuring pro-poor rural development and food security through bioenergy production: case studies on bush-to-energy and Jatropha in Namibia," IDOS Studies, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), volume 90, number 90, July.
    15. repec:bla:devpol:v:28:y:2010:i:4:p:481-502 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Adato, Michelle & Bassett, Lucy, 2012. "Social protection and cash transfers to strengthen familes affected by HIV and AIDS:," IFPRI books, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), number Michelle Adato, October.
    17. Helena Ribe & David A. Robalino & Ian Walker, 2012. "From Right to Reality : Incentives, Labor Markets, and the Challenge of Universal Social Protection in Latin America and the Caribbean [De los derechos a la realidad : incentivos, mercados de traba," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 6008.
    18. repec:bla:devpol:v:24:y:2006:i:5:p:513-536 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. Ariel Fiszbein & Norbert Schady & Francisco H.G. Ferreira & Margaret Grosh & Niall Keleher & Pedro Olinto & Emmanuel Skoufias, 2009. "Conditional Cash Transfers : Reducing Present and Future Poverty," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 2597.
    20. Mbeva, Kennedy Liti & Pauw, Pieter, 2016. "Self-differentiation of countries’ responsibilities: addressing climate change through intended nationally determined contributions," IDOS Discussion Papers 4/2016, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    21. Stephen Devereux, 2013. "Trajectories of social protection in Africa," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(1), pages 13-23, March.
    22. Devon E.A. Curtis, 2015. "Development assistance and the lasting legacies of rebellion in Burundi and Rwanda," Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(7), pages 1365-1381, July.
    23. Cristian Aedo & Ian Walker, 2012. "Skills for the 21st Century in Latin America and the Caribbean," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 2236.
    24. Gough,Ian & Wood,Geof & Barrientos,Armando & Bevan,Philippa & Davis,Peter & Room,Graham, 2004. "Insecurity and Welfare Regimes in Asia, Africa and Latin America," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521834193, January.
    25. Sarah Baird & Craig McIntosh & Berk Özler, 2011. "Cash or Condition? Evidence from a Cash Transfer Experiment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 126(4), pages 1709-1753.
    26. Tom Lavers & Sam Hickey, 2015. "Investigating the political economy of social protection expansion in Africa: At the intersection of transnational ideas and domestic politics," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series esid-047-15, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    27. Barrientos Armando & Villa Juan Miguel, 2015. "Evaluating Antipoverty Transfer Programmes in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa. Better Policies? Better Politics?," Journal of Globalization and Development, De Gruyter, vol. 6(1), pages 147-179, June.
    28. Adato, Michelle & Hoddinott, John (ed.), 2010. "Conditional Cash Transfers in Latin America," IFPRI books, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), number 978-0-8018-9498-5, October.
    29. Marie Gaarder, 2012. "Conditional versus unconditional cash: a commentary," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(1), pages 130-133, March.
    30. Jean Grugel & Pía Riggirozzi, 2012. "Post-neoliberalism in Latin America: Rebuilding and Reclaiming the State after Crisis," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 43(1), pages 1-21, January.
    31. Armando Barrientos & Miguel Niño‐Zarazúa, 2011. "Financing Social Protection for Children in Crisis Contexts," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 29, pages 603-620, September.
    32. repec:bla:devpol:v:24:y:2006:i:5:p:571-578 is not listed on IDEAS
    33. Ferreira , Francisco H.G. & Robalino, David, 2010. "Social protection in Latin America : achievements and limitations," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5305, The World Bank.
    34. Margaret Grosh & Carlo del Ninno & Emil Tesliuc & Azedine Ouerghi, 2008. "For Protection and Promotion : The Design and Implementation of Effective Safety Nets," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 6582.
    35. Arjan de Haan, 2014. "The Rise of Social Protection in Development: Progress, Pitfalls and Politics," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 26(3), pages 311-321, July.
    36. Murray Leibbrandt & James Levinsohn, 2014. "Fifteen Years On: Household Incomes in South Africa," NBER Chapters, in: African Successes, Volume I: Government and Institutions, pages 333-355, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    37. Jann Lay, 2012. "Millennium Development Goal Achievements and Policies in Education and Health: What Has Been Learnt?," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 30(1), pages 67-85, January.
    38. repec:ilo:ilowps:487627 is not listed on IDEAS
    39. Solomon Asfaw & Benjamin Davis & Josh Dewbre & Sudhanshu Handa & Paul Winters, 2014. "Cash Transfer Programme, Productive Activities and Labour Supply: Evidence from a Randomised Experiment in Kenya," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(8), pages 1172-1196, August.
    40. Altenburg, Tilman & Kulke, Elmar & Reeg, Caroline & Peterskovsky, Lisa & Hampel-Milagrosa, Aimée, 2016. "Making retail modernisation in developing countries inclusive: a development policy perspective," IDOS Discussion Papers 2/2016, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    41. Sabates-Wheeler, Rachel & Devereux, Stephen, 2010. "Cash transfers and high food prices: Explaining outcomes on Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Programme," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 274-285, August.
    42. Cecchini, Simone & Martínez, Rodrigo, 2012. "Inclusive Social Protection in Latin America: a comprehensive, rights-based approach," Libros de la CEPAL, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), number 2596 edited by Eclac, May.
    43. Ragoussis, Alexandros, 2016. "Government agoraphobia: home bias in developing country procurement markets," IDOS Discussion Papers 5/2016, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    44. Benjamin Davis & Marie Gaarder & Sudhanshu Handa & Jenn Yablonski, 2012. "Evaluating the Impact of Cash Transfer Programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa," One Pager 146, International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth.
    45. Constanza Tabbush, 2010. "Latin American Women's Protection after Adjustment: A Feminist Critique of Conditional Cash Transfers in Chile and Argentina," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(4), pages 437-459.
    46. Guush Berhane & Daniel O. Gilligan & John Hoddinott & Neha Kumar & Alemayehu Seyoum Taffesse, 2014. "Can Social Protection Work in Africa? The Impact of Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Programme," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 63(1), pages 1-26.
    47. de Brauw, Alan & Hoddinott, John, 2011. "Must conditional cash transfer programs be conditioned to be effective? The impact of conditioning transfers on school enrollment in Mexico," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(2), pages 359-370, November.
    48. Silvio Daidone & Luca Pellerano & Sudhanshu Handa & Benjamin Davis, 2015. "Is Graduation from Social Safety Nets Possible? Evidence from Sub‐Saharan Africa," IDS Bulletin, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 46(2), pages 93-102, March.
    49. Ocampo, Jose Antonio & Ros, Jaime (ed.), 2011. "The Oxford Handbook of Latin American Economics," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199571048.
    50. Barrett , Christopher B & Carter , Michael R & Ikegami , Munenobu, 2008. "Poverty traps and social protection," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 42752, The World Bank.
    51. Draper, Peter & Krogman, Heinrich & Chikura, Cynthia, 2016. "Can rules of origin in sub-Saharan Africa be harmonised? A political economy exploration," IDOS Discussion Papers 1/2016, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    52. Carlo del Ninno & Bradford Mills, 2015. "Safety Nets in Africa : Effective Mechanisms to Reach the Poor and Most Vulnerable [Les filets sociaux en Afrique]," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 21369.
    53. Marito Garcia & Charity M. T. Moore, 2012. "The Cash Dividend : The Rise of Cash Transfer Programs in Sub-Saharan Africa," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 2246.
    54. Francesca Bastagli, 2009. "From Social Safety net to Social Policy? The Role of Conditional Cash Transfers in Welfare State Development in Latin America," Working Papers 60, International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth.
    55. Giovanni Andrea Cornia & Milica Uvalic, 2012. "Learning from the past: Which of the past/current development strategies are best suited to deal with the ‘quadruple crisis’?," Working Papers 116, United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs.
    56. World Bank, 2015. "The State of Social Safety Nets 2015," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 22101.
    57. repec:fpr:resrep:michelleadato is not listed on IDEAS
    58. Ana Cecilia Dinerstein & Séverine Deneulin, 2012. "Hope Movements: Naming Mobilization in a Post-development World," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 43(2), pages 585-602, March.
    59. Fiszbein, Ariel & Kanbur, Ravi & Yemtsov, Ruslan, 2014. "Social Protection and Poverty Reduction: Global Patterns and Some Targets," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 167-177.
    60. Katia Covarrubias & Benjamin Davis & Paul Winters, 2012. "From protection to production: productive impacts of the Malawi Social Cash Transfer scheme," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(1), pages 50-77, March.
    61. Niño-Zarazúa, Miguel & Barrientos, Armando & Hickey, Samuel & Hulme, David, 2012. "Social Protection in Sub-Saharan Africa: Getting the Politics Right," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 163-176.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Fabianna Bacil & Beatriz Burattini & João Pedro Lang & Camila Rolon & Merindah Loessl, 2022. "Las transferencias en efectivo con enfoque universal en América Latina y el Caribe," Research Report Spanish (Country Study) 65, International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth.
    2. Never, Babette, 2016. "Wastewater systems and energy saving in urban India: governing the Water-Energy-Food Nexus series," IDOS Discussion Papers 12/2016, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    3. Müller, Benjamin & Ragoussis, Alexandros, 2016. "Minorities and trade: what do we know, and how can policymakers take it into account?," IDOS Discussion Papers 11/2016, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    4. Baumann, Max-Otto, 2016. "Reforming the UN Development System: can North and South overcome their political differences in making the UN fit for purpose?," IDOS Discussion Papers 14/2016, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Francesco Burchi & Margherita Scarlato & Giorgio d'Agostino, 2018. "Addressing Food Insecurity in Sub‐Saharan Africa: The Role of Cash Transfers," Poverty & Public Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 10(4), pages 564-589, December.
    2. d'Agostino, Giorgio & Pieroni, Luca & Scarlato, Margherita, 2013. "Social Protection and Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Evaluation of Cash Transfer Programmes," MPRA Paper 49536, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Rachel Sabates-Wheeler & Nikhil Wilmink & Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai & Richard de Groot & Tayllor Spadafora, 2020. "Linking Social Rights to Active Citizenship for the Most Vulnerable: the Role of Rights and Accountability in the ‘Making’ and ‘Shaping’ of Social Protection," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 32(1), pages 129-151, January.
    4. Miguel Niño‐Zarazúa, 2019. "Welfare and Redistributive Effects of Social Assistance in the Global South," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 45(S1), pages 3-22, December.
    5. Stoeffler, Quentin & Mills, Bradford, 2014. "Households’ investments in durable and productive assets in Niger: quasi-experimental evidences from a cash transfer project," 2014 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2014, Minneapolis, Minnesota 170212, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    6. Margherita Scarlato & Giorgio d'Agostino & Francesca Capparucci, 2016. "Evaluating CCTs from a Gender Perspective: The Impact of Chile Solidario on Women's Employment Prospect," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(2), pages 177-197, March.
    7. Barrientos Armando & Villa Juan Miguel, 2015. "Evaluating Antipoverty Transfer Programmes in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa. Better Policies? Better Politics?," Journal of Globalization and Development, De Gruyter, vol. 6(1), pages 147-179, June.
    8. Solomon Asfaw & Silvio Daidone & Benjamin Davis & Josh Dewbre & Alessandro Romeo & Paul Winters & Katia Covarrubias & Habiba Djebbari, 2012. "Analytical Framework for Evaluating the Productive Impact of Cash Transfer Programmes on Household Behaviour – Methodological Guidelines for the From Protection to Production Project," Working Papers 101, International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth.
    9. Noemi Pace & Silvio Daidone & Benjamin Davis & Luca Pellerano, 2016. "Does "soft conditionality" increase the impact of cash transfers on desired outcomes? Evidence from a randomized control trial in Lesotho," Working Papers 2016:33, Department of Economics, University of Venice "Ca' Foscari".
    10. Owusu-Addo, Ebenezer & Renzaho, Andre M.N. & Smith, Ben J., 2018. "Evaluation of cash transfer programs in sub-Saharan Africa: A methodological review," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 47-56.
    11. Scarlato, Margherita, 2012. "Social Enterprise, Capabilities and Development: Lessons from Ecuador," MPRA Paper 37618, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Zander, Rauno, 2016. "Risks and opportunities of non-bank based financing for agriculture: the case of agricultural value chain financing," IDOS Discussion Papers 7/2016, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    13. Barrientos Armando & Villa Juan Miguel, 2015. "Evaluating Antipoverty Transfer Programmes in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa. Better Policies? Better Politics?," Journal of Globalization and Development, De Gruyter, vol. 6(1), pages 147-179, June.
    14. Bénédicte de la Brière & Deon Filmer & Dena Ringold & Dominic Rohner & Karelle Samuda & Anastasiya Denisova, 2017. "From Mines and Wells to Well-Built Minds," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 26490.
    15. Heinrich, Carolyn J. & Knowles, Matthew T., 2020. "A fine predicament: Conditioning, compliance and consequences in a labeled cash transfer program," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    16. Beegle, Kathleen & Galasso, Emanuela & Goldberg, Jessica, 2017. "Direct and indirect effects of Malawi's public works program on food security," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 1-23.
    17. Basil Msuha & Luitfred D. Kissoly & Arnold Kihaule, 2024. "Design and Implementation of Social Safety Nets in Tanzania: A Systematic Review," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 14(1), pages 180-203, January.
    18. Fisher, Eleanor & Attah, Ramlatu & Barca, Valentina & O'Brien, Clare & Brook, Simon & Holland, Jeremy & Kardan, Andrew & Pavanello, Sara & Pozarny, Pamela, 2017. "The Livelihood Impacts of Cash Transfers in Sub-Saharan Africa: Beneficiary Perspectives from Six Countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 299-319.
    19. Gentilini,Ugo, 2016. "The revival of the"cash versus food"debate : new evidence for an old quandary ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7584, The World Bank.
    20. Harold Alderman & Ruslan Yemtsov, 2014. "How Can Safety Nets Contribute to Economic Growth?," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 28(1), pages 1-20.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:zbw:diedps:62016. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ditubde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.