世界银行-绝对贫困线的元理论（英）-2023.7-65页.pdf

PolicyResearchWorkingPaper10519AMeta-TheoryforAbsolutePovertyLinesBenoitDecerfDevelopmentEconomicsDevelopmentResearchGroupJuly2023PublicDisclosureAuthorizedPublicDisclosureAuthorizedPublicDisclosureAuthorizedPublicDisclosureAuthorizedPolicyResearchWorkingPaper10519Absolutepovertylinesaimtotrackafixedpovertystandardconsistently.Therearetwomainapproachesfortheconstruc-tionofabsolutepovertylines.The“welfaristic”approachtracksafixedlevelofutility,andthe“objective”approachtracksafixedlistofachievements.Astheyyielddifferentpovertycomparisons,longstandingdebatesbetweentheirrespectiveproponentstakeplacebothatglobalandnationallevels.However,thesedebatesonlyprovideinformalargumentsabouttheirrespectivetheoreticalvalidity.Thispaperproposesameta-theoryfortheconsistencypropertiesofabsolutepovertylinesunderheterogeneouspricesandheterogeneouspreferences.Theresultsidentifythesetsofconsistencypropertiesthatfullycharacterizethepovertylinesunderpinnedbytheseapproaches.Whichapproachhasbetterconsistencypropertiesdependsontwoaspectsoftheapplicationforwhichpovertyismonitored.ThispaperisaproductoftheDevelopmentResearchGroup,DevelopmentEconomics.ItispartofalargereffortbytheWorldBanktoprovideopenaccesstoitsresearchandmakeacontributiontodevelopmentpolicydiscussionsaroundtheworld.PolicyResearchWorkingPapersarealsopostedontheWebathttp://www.worldbank.org/prwp.Theauthormaybecontactedatbdecerf@worldbank.org.ProducedbytheResearchSupportTeamAbstractoePolicyResearchWorkingPaperSeriesdisseminatesthelndingsofworkinprogresstoencouragetheexchangeofideasaboutdevelopmentissues.Anobjectiveoftheseriesistogetthelndingsoutquickly,evenifthepresentationsarelessthanfullypolished.oepaperscarrythenamesoftheauthorsandshouldbecitedaccordingly.oelndings,interpretations,andconclusionsexpressedinthispaperareentirelythoseoftheauthors.oeydonotnecessarilyrepresenttheviewsoftheInternationalBankforReconstructionandDevelopment/WorldBankanditsailiatedorganizations,orthoseoftheExecutiveDirectorsoftheWorldBankorthegovernmentstheyrepresent.AMeta-TheoryforAbsolutePovertyLines.∗BenoitDecerf†JEL:I32,D63,E31.Keywords:AbsolutePoverty,Povertyline,Globalpoverty,Heterogeneouspreferences.∗Acknowledgments:IamgratefultoAartKraay,DanielMalher,WilliamMasters,BerkOzlerandRoyVanderWeideforhelpfuldiscussions.IthankalltheparticipantsattwointernalseminarsattheWorldBank,andinparticularDeanJolliffe,ChristophLakner,VijayendraRaoandHeeKwonSeo.Thefindings,interpretations,andconclusionsexpressedinthispaperareentirelythoseoftheauthorandshouldnotbeattributedinanymannertotheWorldBank,toitsaffiliatedorganizations,ortomembersofitsBoardofExecutiveDirectorsorthecountriestheyrepresent.Allerrorsremainmine.†WorldBank,DevelopmentResearchGroup.Email:bdecerf@worldbank.org.1IntroductionAbsolutepovertylinesaimforconsistency.Consistencymeansthat,althoughitsnominalmonetaryamountmaydependonprevailingprices,anabsolutepovertylinecapturesafixedpovertystandard.Therearetwomainapproachestotheconstructionofabsolutepovertylines.Eachhasitsowndefinitionofafixedpoverty