مدرک بین المللی در مورد تاثیر انتقال و مالیات بر شاخص فقر جایگزین

Changes in the headcount rate are the standard metric for gauging how public transfers and taxes affect poverty. An alternative strategy is to rely on distribution-sensitive indexes (Sen, 1976 and Sen, 1981). How would the measured impacts of policy change if such an approach were used? This study provides new empirical evidence based on Luxembourg Income Study data for 17 countries. Poverty is measured using three indexes from the class developed by Foster et al. (1984), one of which is the headcount rate. Estimates of the policy impacts are obtained by computing index values with before- and after-policy income. Evidence is also provided on the determinants of cross-country differences in index values and policy effectiveness.

This study examines how changes in income due to government transfers and taxes affect alternative indexes of poverty. Standard analyses have focused on headcount rates (percent of the population which is identified as poor), gauged using either the official poverty thresholds or ones adjusted to overcome their perceived shortcomings.2 Doing so assumes, implicitly or explicitly, that reducing the number of poor people is the sole objective of policy. Such an approach provides useful information, but is also seriously incomplete and potentially misleading, in light of Sen, 1976 and Sen, 1981 seminal and influential work.