Economic growth, inequality and poverty in Africa

Abstract

The most important development endeavor is to reduce poverty. There has been an ongoing debate on the actual contribution of growth to poverty reduction. In addition, a related question frequently raised is whether the main focus of development strategies should be placed on growth, or poverty reduction with or without a change in inequality. Without doubt, faster economic growth is associated with faster poverty reduction, given other factors affecting poverty. But an interesting policy implication can be drawn by answering the question of how responsive is poverty for a given level of economic growth or a given change in inequality. In other words, what are the growth and inequality elasticity of poverty? In effect, the prevailing magnitudes of growth elasticity and inequality elasticity of poverty may help in choosing a right strategy from among various poverty reduction strategies.

Date of Award	2006
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	Eastern Illinois University
Supervisor	Mukti P Upadhyay (Supervisor)