Brazil’s Bolsa Família program is a conditional cash transfer scheme that has been hailed for dramatically reducing poverty and inequality since its launch in 2003. Under the scheme, qualifying families receive a monthly stipend on the condition that they fulfill certain requirements in health and education. Although the Bolsa Família is a federal program, each of Brazil’s 5, 564 municipalities play an important role in its local implementation. Using a combination of regression analysis and four case studies from the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, this study evaluates the impact of local government capacity on beneficiaries’ health and education. I find that municipalities with higher administrative capacity – more developed collaboration across sectors and more competent staff – are likely to be more effective in implementing the BFP, as observed by higher monitoring rates. As a result, the percentage of beneficiaries who comply with the program’s health and education requirements is likely to be higher in these municipalities. The paper concludes that local governments are critical actors in the success of this program and calls for policymakers to build administrative capacity through a combination of incentives and regulations.

 

People Researcher: Pui Shen Yoong Advisors: Professor Jessica Teets (Political Science), Professor John Maluccio (Economics)

Related Links Bolsa Familia (in Portuguese) The Nuts and Bolts of Brazil’s Bolsa Familia Program: Implementing Conditional Cash Transfers in a Decentralized Context  Avoiding Governors: The Success of Bolsa Familia Buying Out the Poor? Bolsa Familia & the 2010 Elections in Brazil

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Discusses types of activities that are required to take people out of poverty and the role of social institutions in shaping the survival strategies of the poor.

People Woolcock, Michael J. V., 1964-

Related Links Actionable responses to global poverty: supporting "what works" as solution and problem

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Hailed for reducing poverty and inequality in Brazil, the Bolsa Familia program (PBF) is the largest conditional cash transfer program in the world. Critics, however, have accused President Lula and his party of indirectly ‘buying’ the poor vote through the PBF. This research investigates the relationship between the PBF and the voting patterns of its recipients in the recent elections. Is the PBF an apolitical poverty reduction strategy? Does it influence the formation of political preferences? Based on interviews conducted in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, I focus on the beneficiaries’ own perception of the program, exploring the concepts of “ownership” and “clientelism” in social welfare.

People Pui Shen Yoong Researcher Svea Closser Sponsor & Assistant Professor of Sociology & Anthropology

Related Links Bolsa Familia Study Finds Bolsa Familia Children Healthier, Doing Better in School Choosing Clientelism: Political Competition, Poverty and Social Welfare Policy in Argentina Cash Transfers and Voting Behavior: Electoral Impacts of Brazil’s Bolsa Familia Program Conditional Cash Transfers and Voting Behaviour: Redistribution and Clientelism in Developing Democracies

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Despite unbelievable economic growth rates averaging between 8-10% in 2009 and bright economic prospects, China and India have become two of the largest contributors to world poverty. However, China has been able to alleviate more poverty than India. I believe that there are lessons to be learnt from China’s success. Thus, I will compare both nations and examine the impact of provincial politics (decentralization) on poverty alleviation to determine why China has been able to alleviate more poverty than India. Since China and India are populous, large countries, there is a strong presence of state-level political institutions, which guide policy implementation. I will, thus, examine the cases of Sichuan and Anhui in China and Kerala andBihar in India. The contrast between the success of Sichuan and Kerala and failures of Anhui and Bihar will provide insight on the impact of decentralization and effectiveness of policy implementation towards poverty alleviation.

People Ruchi Singh Researcher Jessica Teets Sponsor & Assistant Professor of Political Science

Related Links Undergraduate Research Office

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People Samantha Marder Project Manager, Project Health  Providence Hannah Nichols Talent and Technology Coordinator, Project Health National Offices Yuan Lim Student Organizer Veronica Muoio Student Organizer Dan Murphy Student Organizer

Related Links To Learn More and Take Action, check out these links First Stop: Alliance for Civic Engagement (ACE) Fall 2010 Student Symposium: American Poverty in Context Project Health Unnatural Causes: Documentary on Poverty and Poor Health

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People Robert Prasch Professor of Economics Yuan Lim Student Organizer Veronica Muoio Student Organizer Dan Murphy Student Organizer

Related Links To Learn More and Take Action, check out these links First Stop: Alliance for Civic Engagement (ACE) Fall 2010 Student Symposium: American Poverty in Context

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Chinese household registration policy classifies each citizen as either an urban or rural dweller. As China’s coastal urban economies began to rapidly develop in the late 19070s and 1980s, many rural dwellers migrated to cities in search of higher wages. These migrant laborers were not able to receive the services provided to urban dwellers by local city governments. Preliminary results show that employers are more likely to offer these types of increased compensation when they are located in more mature job markets where the supply of jobs exceeds demand.

People Doug Shultz Researcher Anne Knowles Associate Professor of Geography and Advisor

Related Links Spring Student Symposium 2002 Chinese Household Income Survey

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From the Spring 2010 issue of the student-published Middlebury Geographic magazine, Andrea Jones examines the economic and geographic conditions that lead to the creation of slums and shantytowns across three continents.

People Andrea Jones Author Emily Allison Photographer

Related Links Middlebury Geographic Spring 2010 Middlebury Geographic Spring 2009

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