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Anti‐Poverty Effectiveness Of The Minimum Living Standard Assistance Policy In Urban China

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  • Qin Gao
  • Irwin Garfinkel
  • Fuhua Zhai

Abstract

Since its inception 15 years ago, the Minimum Living Standard Assistance (MLSA) has served as a last resort for China's urban poor. Using national household survey data, this study provides updated evidence on the participation rate, receipt amount, and anti‐poverty effectiveness of MLSA. Families eligible for MLSA make up 2.3 percent of the urban population, but only about half of them are actual beneficiaries. City MLSA generosity and household entitled benefit amount both positively correlate with participation rate and household receipt amount. MLSA lowers the poverty rate somewhat, but substantially reduces the poverty gap and severity for its eligible participants. Nevertheless, the poverty reduction role of MLSA is restricted by its partial coverage and delivery. Consequentially, poverty remains a serious problem for MLSA's target population. The anti‐poverty effectiveness of MLSA can be strengthened by full coverage and delivery of benefits and by paying special attention to disadvantaged subgroups.

Suggested Citation

  • Qin Gao & Irwin Garfinkel & Fuhua Zhai, 2009. "Anti‐Poverty Effectiveness Of The Minimum Living Standard Assistance Policy In Urban China," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 55(s1), pages 630-655, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:revinw:v:55:y:2009:i:s1:p:630-655
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-4991.2009.00334.x
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    1. 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.
    2. Nora Lustig & Yang Wang, 2020. "The Impact of Taxes and Transfers on Income Inequality, Poverty, and the Urban-Rural and Regional Income Gaps in China," Working Papers 547, Center for Global Development.
    3. Wu, Alfred M. & Ramesh, M., 2014. "Poverty Reduction in Urban China: The Impact of Cash Transfers," MPRA Paper 54358, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Li, Jinjing & Wang, Xinmei & Xu, Jing & Yuan, Chang, 2020. "The role of public pensions in income inequality among elderly households in China 1988–2013," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    5. Ravallion, Martin & Chen, Shaohua, 2015. "Benefit incidence with incentive effects, measurement errors and latent heterogeneity: A case study for China," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 124-132.
    6. Gentian Qejvanaj, 2021. "Poverty Relief Programs in Postcommunist Countries: A Case Study on the Albanian and Chinese Programs," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(2), pages 21582440211, June.
    7. Kakwani, Nanak & Li, Shi & Wang, Xiaobing & Zhu, Mengbing, 2019. "Evaluating the effectiveness of the rural minimum living standard guarantee (Dibao) program in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 1-14.
    8. Kuhn, Lena & Brosig, Stephan & Zhang, Linxiu, 2016. "The brink of poverty: Implementation of a social assistance programme in rural China," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 45(1), pages 75-108.
    9. Gao, Qin & Yang, Sui & Li, Shi, 2015. "Welfare, targeting, and anti-poverty effectiveness: The case of urban China," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 30-42.
    10. Gao, Qin & Zhai, Fuhua & Garfinkel, Irwin, 2010. "How Does Public Assistance Affect Family Expenditures? The Case of Urban China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(7), pages 989-1000, July.
    11. İmrohoroğlu, Ayşe & Zhao, Kai, 2018. "The chinese saving rate: Long-term care risks, family insurance, and demographics," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 33-52.
    12. Ravallion, Martin & Chen, Shaohua, 2013. "Benefit incidence with incentive effects, measurement errors and latent heterogeneity," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6573, The World Bank.
    13. Mao Zheng & Xiaoguang Li & Zhilong Qin & Muhammad Tayyab Sohail, 2023. "Examining the Impact of Fiscal Resources on Anti-Poverty Expenditure: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-17, March.
    14. Cai, Meng & Yue, Ximing, 2020. "The redistributive role of government social security transfers on inequality in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    15. Qin Gao & Shiyou Wu & Fuhua Zhai, 2015. "Welfare Participation and Time Use in China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 124(3), pages 863-887, December.
    16. Fei Yan, 2018. "Urban poverty, economic restructuring and poverty reduction policy in urban China: Evidence from Shanghai, 1978–2008," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(4), pages 465-481, July.
    17. Argesanu, Nicolae Razvan, 2013. "Politici Din Sfera Protectiei Sociale Si Sustenabilitatea Lor In Contextul Constrangerilor Bugetare [Policy Of Social Protection Sphere And Their Sustenability In The Context Of Budgetary Constrain," MPRA Paper 47800, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    18. Bjorn Gustafsson & Sai Ding, 2011. "Unemployment and the Rising Number of Non-Workers in Urban China: Causes and Distributional Consequences," University of Western Ontario, Centre for Human Capital and Productivity (CHCP) Working Papers 201117, University of Western Ontario, Centre for Human Capital and Productivity (CHCP).
    19. Golan, Jennifer & Sicular, Terry & Umapathi, Nithin, 2014. "Any guarantees? : China's rural minimum living standard guarantee program," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 90030, The World Bank.
    20. Qin Gao & Fuhua Zhai, 2017. "Public Assistance, Economic Prospect, and Happiness in Urban China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 132(1), pages 451-473, May.

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