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The Social Protection Engel Curve

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  • Michael Lokshin
  • Martin Ravallion
  • Iván Torre

Abstract

Why do richer countries spend a higher share of their income on social protection than poor countries? A newly assembled dataset on social protection spending for 142 countries since 1995 allows an exploration of alternate hypotheses, treating the pandemic period separately, as it entailed a large expansion in social protection efforts. While the mean income share devoted to social protection rises with income, this is attributable to multiple confounders, including relative prices, weak governance in low-income countries, and access to information-communication technologies. Controlling for these, social protection spending is similar between rich and poor countries. This was also true during the pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Lokshin & Martin Ravallion & Iván Torre, 2023. "The Social Protection Engel Curve," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 37(4), pages 519-548.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:wbecrv:v:37:y:2023:i:4:p:519-548.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/wber/lhad016
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Michael Lokshin & Aylén Rodriguez‐Ferrari & Iván Torre, 2024. "Electoral cycles and public spending during the pandemic," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(3), pages 1077-1107, August.
    2. Demirgüç-Kunt, Asli & Lokshin, Michael & Torre, Iván, 2024. "Protect incomes or protect jobs? The role of social policies in post-pandemic recovery," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).

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