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Evaluating the distributive effects of a micro-credit intervention

Author

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  • Maitra, Pushkar
  • Mitra, Sandip
  • Mookherjee, Dilip
  • Visaria, Sujata

Abstract

Most analyses of randomized controlled trials of development interventions estimate an average treatment effect on the outcome of interest. However, the aggregate impact on welfare also depends on distributional effects. We propose a simple method to evaluate efficiency–equity trade-offs in the utilitarian tradition of Atkinson (1970). This involves an estimation of the average treatment effect on a monotone concave function of the outcome variable, whose curvature captures the degree of inequality aversion in the welfare function. We argue this is preferable to the current practice of examining distributional impacts through sub-group analysis or quantile treatment effects. We illustrate the approach using data from a credit delivery experiment we implemented in West Bengal, India.

Suggested Citation

  • Maitra, Pushkar & Mitra, Sandip & Mookherjee, Dilip & Visaria, Sujata, 2022. "Evaluating the distributive effects of a micro-credit intervention," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:deveco:v:158:y:2022:i:c:s030438782200058x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2022.102896
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kevin W. S. Roberts, 1980. "Interpersonal Comparability and Social Choice Theory," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 47(2), pages 421-439.
    2. Maitra, Pushkar & Mitra, Sandip & Mookherjee, Dilip & Motta, Alberto & Visaria, Sujata, 2017. "Financing smallholder agriculture: An experiment with agent-intermediated microloans in India," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 306-337.
    3. Bedoya Arguelles,Guadalupe & Bittarello,Luca & Davis,Jonathan Martin Villars & Mittag,Nikolas Karl & Bedoya Arguelles,Guadalupe & Bittarello,Luca & Davis,Jonathan Martin Villars & Mittag,Nikolas Karl, 2017. "Distributional impact analysis: toolkit and illustrations of impacts beyond the average treatment effect," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8139, The World Bank.
    4. David P. Coady & Rebecca L. Harris, 2004. "Evaluating transfer programmes within a general equilibrium framework," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 114(498), pages 778-799, October.
    5. Pushkar Maitra & Sandip Mitra & Dilip Mookherjee & Sujata Visaria, 2024. "Decentralized Targeting of Agricultural Credit Programs: Private Versus Political Intermediaries," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 22(6), pages 2648-2699.
    6. Sandip Mitra & Dilip Mookherjee & Maximo Torero & Sujata Visaria, 2018. "Asymmetric Information and Middleman Margins: An Experiment with Indian Potato Farmers," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 100(1), pages 1-13, March.
    7. Atkinson, Anthony B., 1970. "On the measurement of inequality," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 2(3), pages 244-263, September.
    8. Debopam Bhattacharya & Tatiana Komarova, 2021. "Incorporating Social Welfare in Program-Evaluation and Treatment Choice," Papers 2105.08689, arXiv.org, revised Nov 2022.
    9. Newbery, David M, 1995. "The Distributional Impact of Price Changes in Hungary and the United Kingdom," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 105(431), pages 847-863, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pushkar Maitra & Sandip Mitra & Dilip Mookherjee & Sujata Visaria, 2023. "Economic Policies vs. Identity Politics: The Rise of a Right-wing Nationalist Party in India," HKUST CEP Working Papers Series 202301, HKUST Center for Economic Policy.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation

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