DP5968 The Economic Lives of the Poor

Author(s):	Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo
Publication Date:	December 2006
Keyword(s):	consumption choices, development, poverty
JEL(s):	O10, O15, O16
Programme Areas:	Public Economics, Development Economics
Link to this Page:	cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=5968

This paper uses survey data from 13 countries to document the economic lives of the poor (those living on less than $2 dollar per day per capita at purchasing power parity) or the extremely poor (those living on less than $1 dollar per day). We describe their patterns of consumption and income generation as well as their access to markets and publicly provided infrastructure. The paper concludes with a discussion of some apparent anomalous choices.