Poverty Comparisons Paperback / softback

First published in 1994. Drawing on a personal network, an economist can still relatively easily stay well informed in the narrow field in which he works, but to keep up with the development of economics as a whole is a much more formidable challenge.

Economics are confronted with difficulties associated with the rapid development of their discipline.

There is a risk of ‘balkanization’ in economics, which may not be favorable to its development.

Fundamentals of Pure and Applied Economics has been created to meet this problem.

Poverty comparisons — such as assessments of whether poverty has increased, or where it is greatest — are typically clouded in conceptual and methodological uncertainties.

How should individual4 well-being’ be assessed in deciding who is poor?

Is a household survey a reliable guide? Where should the poverty line be drawn, and does the choice matter?

What poverty measure should be used in aggregating data on individual well-being?

Does that choice matter? This monograph surveys the issues that need to be considered in answering these questions.