Why Don’t We See Poverty Convergence?

We are not seeing faster progress against poverty amongst the poorest developing countries. Yet this is implied by widely accepted "stylized facts" about the development process. The paper tries to explain what is missing from those styli...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Ravallion, Martin
Format: Policy Research Working Paper
Language:English
Published: 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20110407140818
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/4352
id okr-10986-4352
recordtype oai_dc
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Foreign Institution
institution Digital Repositories
building World Bank Open Knowledge Repository
collection World Bank
language English
topic ABSOLUTE POVERTY
ABSOLUTE TERMS
ABSOLUTE VALUE
ADVERSE EFFECTS
AGGREGATE GROWTH
AGGREGATE INEQUALITY
AGGREGATE MEASURE
AGGREGATE OUTPUT
ANNUALIZED CHANGE
CONDITIONAL CONVERGENCE
CONSUMER DEMAND
CONSUMPTION GROWTH
CONSUMPTION PER CAPITA
CONVERGENCE PARAMETER
CONVERGENCE TESTS
COUNTRY LEVEL
CREDIT MARKET
CUMULATIVE DISTRIBUTION
CUMULATIVE DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION
CURRENT POVERTY
DATA COMPILATIONS
DATA SET
DATA SETS
DECREASING FUNCTION
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DEVELOPING COUNTRY
DEVELOPING WORLD
DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
DEVELOPMENT GOALS
DEVELOPMENT REPORT
DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH
DIMINISHING RETURNS
DISTRIBUTIONAL EFFECT
DISTRIBUTIVE POLITICS
ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMIC CONTRACTION
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ECONOMIC GROWTH
ECONOMIC INEQUALITY
ECONOMIC LITERATURE
ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE
ECONOMIC RESEARCH
ECONOMIC REVIEW
ECONOMIC STUDIES
ECONOMICS
ECONOMICS LETTERS
EMPIRICAL LITERATURE
EMPIRICAL RELATIONSHIP
EMPIRICAL SUPPORT
ERROR TERM
EXPLANATORY POWER
FINANCIAL CRISIS
FINANCIAL SECTOR
FIXED EFFECTS
FUNCTIONAL FORM
GINI INDEX
GROWTH DETERMINANTS
GROWTH ELASTICITY
GROWTH EMPIRICS
GROWTH MODEL
GROWTH PRO-POOR
GROWTH PROCESS
GROWTH PROSPECTS
GROWTH RATE
GROWTH RATES
GROWTH REGRESSION
GROWTH REGRESSIONS
HIGH INEQUALITY
HIGH INEQUALITY COUNTRIES
HIGH POVERTY
HIGHER INCIDENCE OF POVERTY
HIGHER INEQUALITY
HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION
HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS
HUMAN CAPITAL
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
INCIDENCE OF POVERTY
INCOME DISTRIBUTION
INCOME INEQUALITY
INCOME POVERTY
INCOME SHARE
INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES
INEQUALITY EFFECT
INEQUALITY INDEX
INEQUALITY MEASURE
INTEREST RATE
LIFE EXPECTANCY
LOG GINI
LOG-NORMAL DISTRIBUTION
LOW INCOMES
LOW POVERTY RATES
MACROECONOMICS
MALNUTRITION
MARGINAL PRODUCT
MARKET ECONOMIES
MARKET FAILURES
MEAN CONSUMPTION
MEAN ERROR TERM
MEAN INCOME
MEASUREMENT ERROR
MEASUREMENT ERRORS
MEASURING POVERTY
MEDIAN POVERTY
MICRO DATA
MIDDLE CLASS
MIDDLE CLASS CONSENSUS
MIDDLE QUINTILES
MINIMUM LEVEL
NATIONAL ACCOUNTS
NATIONAL POVERTY
NATIONAL POVERTY LINES
NEGATIVE COEFFICIENT
NEGATIVE COEFFICIENTS
NEGATIVE CORRELATION
NEGATIVE EFFECT
NEGATIVE IMPACT
NEGATIVE SIGN
NEOCLASSICAL GROWTH
NEW GROWTH THEORIES
OLD ISSUES
POLICY CONVERGENCE
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
POLICY ISSUES
POLICY REFORMS
POLICY RESEARCH
POLITICAL ECONOMY
POOR COUNTRIES
POOR COUNTRY
POPULATION SHARE
POSITIVE CORRELATION
POSITIVE EFFECT
POVERTY GAP
POVERTY GAP INDEX
POVERTY INCIDENCE
POVERTY LINE
POVERTY LINES
POVERTY MEASURE
POVERTY MEASURES
POVERTY RATE
POVERTY RATES
POVERTY REDUCTION
POVERTY TRAPS
POWER PARITY
PRIMARY SCHOOL ENROLMENT
PRIVATE CONSUMPTION
PRODUCTION FUNCTION
PROMOTING GROWTH
PUBLIC GOODS
REDUCING POVERTY
REGIONAL DUMMY
REGIONAL EFFECTS
RELATIVE DISTRIBUTION
RELATIVE POVERTY
SAVINGS
SCHOOLING
SECONDARY SOURCES
SECTORAL COMPOSITION
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
SERIAL CORRELATION
SIGNIFICANT EFFECT
SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE
STANDARD DEVIATION
SUBSISTENCE
TRANSITION COUNTRIES
UNEMPLOYMENT
URBAN AREAS
WEALTH DISTRIBUTION
WELFARE INDICATOR
spellingShingle ABSOLUTE POVERTY
ABSOLUTE TERMS
ABSOLUTE VALUE
ADVERSE EFFECTS
AGGREGATE GROWTH
AGGREGATE INEQUALITY
AGGREGATE MEASURE
AGGREGATE OUTPUT
ANNUALIZED CHANGE
CONDITIONAL CONVERGENCE
CONSUMER DEMAND
CONSUMPTION GROWTH
CONSUMPTION PER CAPITA
CONVERGENCE PARAMETER
CONVERGENCE TESTS
COUNTRY LEVEL
CREDIT MARKET
CUMULATIVE DISTRIBUTION
CUMULATIVE DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION
CURRENT POVERTY
DATA COMPILATIONS
DATA SET
DATA SETS
DECREASING FUNCTION
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DEVELOPING COUNTRY
DEVELOPING WORLD
DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
DEVELOPMENT GOALS
DEVELOPMENT REPORT
DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH
DIMINISHING RETURNS
DISTRIBUTIONAL EFFECT
DISTRIBUTIVE POLITICS
ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMIC CONTRACTION
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ECONOMIC GROWTH
ECONOMIC INEQUALITY
ECONOMIC LITERATURE
ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE
ECONOMIC RESEARCH
ECONOMIC REVIEW
ECONOMIC STUDIES
ECONOMICS
ECONOMICS LETTERS
EMPIRICAL LITERATURE
EMPIRICAL RELATIONSHIP
EMPIRICAL SUPPORT
ERROR TERM
EXPLANATORY POWER
FINANCIAL CRISIS
FINANCIAL SECTOR
FIXED EFFECTS
FUNCTIONAL FORM
GINI INDEX
GROWTH DETERMINANTS
GROWTH ELASTICITY
GROWTH EMPIRICS
GROWTH MODEL
GROWTH PRO-POOR
GROWTH PROCESS
GROWTH PROSPECTS
GROWTH RATE
GROWTH RATES
GROWTH REGRESSION
GROWTH REGRESSIONS
HIGH INEQUALITY
HIGH INEQUALITY COUNTRIES
HIGH POVERTY
HIGHER INCIDENCE OF POVERTY
HIGHER INEQUALITY
HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION
HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS
HUMAN CAPITAL
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
INCIDENCE OF POVERTY
INCOME DISTRIBUTION
INCOME INEQUALITY
INCOME POVERTY
INCOME SHARE
INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES
INEQUALITY EFFECT
INEQUALITY INDEX
INEQUALITY MEASURE
INTEREST RATE
LIFE EXPECTANCY
LOG GINI
LOG-NORMAL DISTRIBUTION
LOW INCOMES
LOW POVERTY RATES
MACROECONOMICS
MALNUTRITION
MARGINAL PRODUCT
MARKET ECONOMIES
MARKET FAILURES
MEAN CONSUMPTION
MEAN ERROR TERM
MEAN INCOME
MEASUREMENT ERROR
MEASUREMENT ERRORS
MEASURING POVERTY
MEDIAN POVERTY
MICRO DATA
MIDDLE CLASS
MIDDLE CLASS CONSENSUS
MIDDLE QUINTILES
MINIMUM LEVEL
NATIONAL ACCOUNTS
NATIONAL POVERTY
NATIONAL POVERTY LINES
NEGATIVE COEFFICIENT
NEGATIVE COEFFICIENTS
NEGATIVE CORRELATION
NEGATIVE EFFECT
NEGATIVE IMPACT
NEGATIVE SIGN
NEOCLASSICAL GROWTH
NEW GROWTH THEORIES
OLD ISSUES
POLICY CONVERGENCE
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
POLICY ISSUES
POLICY REFORMS
POLICY RESEARCH
POLITICAL ECONOMY
POOR COUNTRIES
POOR COUNTRY
POPULATION SHARE
POSITIVE CORRELATION
POSITIVE EFFECT
POVERTY GAP
POVERTY GAP INDEX
POVERTY INCIDENCE
POVERTY LINE
POVERTY LINES
POVERTY MEASURE
POVERTY MEASURES
POVERTY RATE
POVERTY RATES
POVERTY REDUCTION
POVERTY TRAPS
POWER PARITY
PRIMARY SCHOOL ENROLMENT
PRIVATE CONSUMPTION
PRODUCTION FUNCTION
PROMOTING GROWTH
PUBLIC GOODS
REDUCING POVERTY
REGIONAL DUMMY
REGIONAL EFFECTS
RELATIVE DISTRIBUTION
RELATIVE POVERTY
SAVINGS
SCHOOLING
SECONDARY SOURCES
SECTORAL COMPOSITION
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
SERIAL CORRELATION
SIGNIFICANT EFFECT
SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE
STANDARD DEVIATION
SUBSISTENCE
TRANSITION COUNTRIES
UNEMPLOYMENT
URBAN AREAS
WEALTH DISTRIBUTION
WELFARE INDICATOR
Ravallion, Martin
Why Don’t We See Poverty Convergence?
geographic_facet The World Region
The World Region
relation Policy Research working paper ; no. WPS 4974
description We are not seeing faster progress against poverty amongst the poorest developing countries. Yet this is implied by widely accepted "stylized facts" about the development process. The paper tries to explain what is missing from those stylized facts. Consistently with models of economic growth incorporating borrowing constraints, the analysis of a new data set for 100 developing countries reveals an adverse effect on consumption growth of high initial poverty incidence at a given initial mean. A high incidence of poverty also entails a lower subsequent rate of progress against poverty at any given growth rate (and poor countries tend to experience less steep increases in poverty during recessions). Thus, for many poor countries, the growth advantage of starting out with a low mean ("conditional convergence") is lost due to their high poverty rates. The size of the middle class--measured by developing-country, not Western, standards--appears to be an important channel linking current poverty to subsequent growth and poverty reduction. However, high current inequality is only a handicap if it entails a high incidence of poverty relative to mean consumption.
format Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper
author Ravallion, Martin
author_facet Ravallion, Martin
author_sort Ravallion, Martin
title Why Don’t We See Poverty Convergence?
title_short Why Don’t We See Poverty Convergence?
title_full Why Don’t We See Poverty Convergence?
title_fullStr Why Don’t We See Poverty Convergence?
title_full_unstemmed Why Don’t We See Poverty Convergence?
title_sort why don’t we see poverty convergence?
publishDate 2012
url http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20110407140818
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/4352
_version_ 1764391054266597376
spelling okr-10986-43522021-04-23T14:02:17Z Why Don’t We See Poverty Convergence? Ravallion, Martin ABSOLUTE POVERTY ABSOLUTE TERMS ABSOLUTE VALUE ADVERSE EFFECTS AGGREGATE GROWTH AGGREGATE INEQUALITY AGGREGATE MEASURE AGGREGATE OUTPUT ANNUALIZED CHANGE CONDITIONAL CONVERGENCE CONSUMER DEMAND CONSUMPTION GROWTH CONSUMPTION PER CAPITA CONVERGENCE PARAMETER CONVERGENCE TESTS COUNTRY LEVEL CREDIT MARKET CUMULATIVE DISTRIBUTION CUMULATIVE DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION CURRENT POVERTY DATA COMPILATIONS DATA SET DATA SETS DECREASING FUNCTION DEPENDENT VARIABLE DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES DEVELOPING COUNTRIES DEVELOPING COUNTRY DEVELOPING WORLD DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS DEVELOPMENT GOALS DEVELOPMENT REPORT DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH DIMINISHING RETURNS DISTRIBUTIONAL EFFECT DISTRIBUTIVE POLITICS ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS ECONOMIC CONTRACTION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ECONOMIC GROWTH ECONOMIC INEQUALITY ECONOMIC LITERATURE ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE ECONOMIC RESEARCH ECONOMIC REVIEW ECONOMIC STUDIES ECONOMICS ECONOMICS LETTERS EMPIRICAL LITERATURE EMPIRICAL RELATIONSHIP EMPIRICAL SUPPORT ERROR TERM EXPLANATORY POWER FINANCIAL CRISIS FINANCIAL SECTOR FIXED EFFECTS FUNCTIONAL FORM GINI INDEX GROWTH DETERMINANTS GROWTH ELASTICITY GROWTH EMPIRICS GROWTH MODEL GROWTH PRO-POOR GROWTH PROCESS GROWTH PROSPECTS GROWTH RATE GROWTH RATES GROWTH REGRESSION GROWTH REGRESSIONS HIGH INEQUALITY HIGH INEQUALITY COUNTRIES HIGH POVERTY HIGHER INCIDENCE OF POVERTY HIGHER INEQUALITY HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS HUMAN CAPITAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INCIDENCE OF POVERTY INCOME DISTRIBUTION INCOME INEQUALITY INCOME POVERTY INCOME SHARE INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES INEQUALITY EFFECT INEQUALITY INDEX INEQUALITY MEASURE INTEREST RATE LIFE EXPECTANCY LOG GINI LOG-NORMAL DISTRIBUTION LOW INCOMES LOW POVERTY RATES MACROECONOMICS MALNUTRITION MARGINAL PRODUCT MARKET ECONOMIES MARKET FAILURES MEAN CONSUMPTION MEAN ERROR TERM MEAN INCOME MEASUREMENT ERROR MEASUREMENT ERRORS MEASURING POVERTY MEDIAN POVERTY MICRO DATA MIDDLE CLASS MIDDLE CLASS CONSENSUS MIDDLE QUINTILES MINIMUM LEVEL NATIONAL ACCOUNTS NATIONAL POVERTY NATIONAL POVERTY LINES NEGATIVE COEFFICIENT NEGATIVE COEFFICIENTS NEGATIVE CORRELATION NEGATIVE EFFECT NEGATIVE IMPACT NEGATIVE SIGN NEOCLASSICAL GROWTH NEW GROWTH THEORIES OLD ISSUES POLICY CONVERGENCE POLICY IMPLICATIONS POLICY ISSUES POLICY REFORMS POLICY RESEARCH POLITICAL ECONOMY POOR COUNTRIES POOR COUNTRY POPULATION SHARE POSITIVE CORRELATION POSITIVE EFFECT POVERTY GAP POVERTY GAP INDEX POVERTY INCIDENCE POVERTY LINE POVERTY LINES POVERTY MEASURE POVERTY MEASURES POVERTY RATE POVERTY RATES POVERTY REDUCTION POVERTY TRAPS POWER PARITY PRIMARY SCHOOL ENROLMENT PRIVATE CONSUMPTION PRODUCTION FUNCTION PROMOTING GROWTH PUBLIC GOODS REDUCING POVERTY REGIONAL DUMMY REGIONAL EFFECTS RELATIVE DISTRIBUTION RELATIVE POVERTY SAVINGS SCHOOLING SECONDARY SOURCES SECTORAL COMPOSITION SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS SERIAL CORRELATION SIGNIFICANT EFFECT SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE STANDARD DEVIATION SUBSISTENCE TRANSITION COUNTRIES UNEMPLOYMENT URBAN AREAS WEALTH DISTRIBUTION WELFARE INDICATOR We are not seeing faster progress against poverty amongst the poorest developing countries. Yet this is implied by widely accepted "stylized facts" about the development process. The paper tries to explain what is missing from those stylized facts. Consistently with models of economic growth incorporating borrowing constraints, the analysis of a new data set for 100 developing countries reveals an adverse effect on consumption growth of high initial poverty incidence at a given initial mean. A high incidence of poverty also entails a lower subsequent rate of progress against poverty at any given growth rate (and poor countries tend to experience less steep increases in poverty during recessions). Thus, for many poor countries, the growth advantage of starting out with a low mean ("conditional convergence") is lost due to their high poverty rates. The size of the middle class--measured by developing-country, not Western, standards--appears to be an important channel linking current poverty to subsequent growth and poverty reduction. However, high current inequality is only a handicap if it entails a high incidence of poverty relative to mean consumption. 2012-03-19T19:14:35Z 2012-03-19T19:14:35Z 2009-06-01 http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20110407140818 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/4352 English Policy Research working paper ; no. WPS 4974 CC BY 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/ World Bank Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper The World Region The World Region