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Child Labor

Author

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  • Christopher Udry

    (Economic Growth Center, Yale University)

Abstract

Child labor exists because it is the best response people can find in intolerable circumstances. Poverty and child labor are mutually reinforcing: because their parents are poor, children must work and not attend school, and then grow up poor. Child labor has two important special features. First, when financial markets are imperfect, the separation in time between the immediate benefits and longdelayed costs of sending children to work lead to too much child labor. Second, the costs and benefits of child labor are borne by different people. Targeted subsidies for school attendance are very effective in reducing child labor because they successfully address both of these problems.

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher Udry, 2003. "Child Labor," Working Papers 856, Economic Growth Center, Yale University.
    • Handle: RePEc:egc:wpaper:856
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    File URL: http://www.econ.yale.edu/growth_pdf/cdp856.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Cited by:

    1. Bernd Beber & Christopher Blattman, 2010. "The Industrial Organization of Rebellion: The Logic of Forced Labor and Child Soldiering," HiCN Working Papers 72, Households in Conflict Network.
    2. Vasilakis, Chrysovalantis, 2017. "Fighting Poverty And Child Malnutrition: On The Design Of Foreign Aid Policies," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 21(8), pages 1935-1956, December.
    3. Éva G. Fekete, 2013. "CROSSEDU: új gazdasági képzési kurzusok a régióban," Eszak-magyarorszagi Strategiai Fuzetek, Faculty of Economics, University of Miskolc, vol. 10(2), pages 6-16.
    4. Christopher Udry, 2003. "Child Labor," Working Papers 856, Economic Growth Center, Yale University.
    5. Bettina Martus, 2013. "Hol van a (kor)határ? - A gyermekmunka következményei és megoldási lehetőségei," Eszak-magyarorszagi Strategiai Fuzetek, Faculty of Economics, University of Miskolc, vol. 10(2), pages 100-115.
    6. Éva G. Fekete, 2013. "Foglalkoztatás bővítése a helyi elsődleges munkaerőpiacon," Eszak-magyarorszagi Strategiai Fuzetek, Faculty of Economics, University of Miskolc, vol. 10(2), pages 70-81.
    7. Ivana Hvižďáková, 2013. "National Factors of Cluster Development and Management," Eszak-magyarorszagi Strategiai Fuzetek, Faculty of Economics, University of Miskolc, vol. 10(2), pages 57-69.
    8. Dezső Szakály, 2013. "Technológiai háború! – Miből készülnek a modernizáció rejtett kulcsai?," Eszak-magyarorszagi Strategiai Fuzetek, Faculty of Economics, University of Miskolc, vol. 10(2), pages 32-45.
    9. Ádám Horváth & Melinda Mihály & Bálint Supka, 2013. "A foglalkoztatás fejlesztésének lehetőségei a Fehérgyarmati kistérségben," Eszak-magyarorszagi Strategiai Fuzetek, Faculty of Economics, University of Miskolc, vol. 10(2), pages 124-130.
    10. Elizabeth M. Caucutt & Krishna B. Kumar, 2003. "Education Policies to Revive a Stagnant Economy: The Case of Sub- Saharan Africa," Development and Comp Systems 0304002, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Iveta Korobaničová, 2013. "Marketing in Small and Medium Enterprises - A case study in Slovakia," Eszak-magyarorszagi Strategiai Fuzetek, Faculty of Economics, University of Miskolc, vol. 10(2), pages 82-89.
    12. Eszter Siposné Nádori, 2013. "Szegénység és boldogság-érzet területi különbségei Európában és a világon," Eszak-magyarorszagi Strategiai Fuzetek, Faculty of Economics, University of Miskolc, vol. 10(2), pages 90-99.
    13. Laura Czifra & Aranka Mészáros, 2013. "A stafétabot átadása: avagy az újabb generációk megjelenése a munkahelyeken," Eszak-magyarorszagi Strategiai Fuzetek, Faculty of Economics, University of Miskolc, vol. 10(2), pages 116-122.
    14. Natasa Urbančíková & Oto Hudec, 2013. "Unlocking Potential of Social Capital in the Border Regions," Eszak-magyarorszagi Strategiai Fuzetek, Faculty of Economics, University of Miskolc, vol. 10(2), pages 17-31.
    15. Martina Prochádzková, 2013. "Regional innovation networks from two perspectives – innovation as an essence of local development (The Case of Slovak region)," Eszak-magyarorszagi Strategiai Fuzetek, Faculty of Economics, University of Miskolc, vol. 10(2), pages 46-56.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    child labor; human capital; household economics;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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