By Paul Winters* In preparation for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is investing very heavily in tourism. Much of this investment seeks to expand the benefits of tourism to new regions in the hope that tourism can be a driver of growth, create jobs and generate higher wages in local economies. Brazil is not alone in seeking to use … [Read more...] about Tourism for poverty alleviation: are we there yet?
What does and doesn't work in development
Accountability and corruption
For a while I have been meaning to write a post on the impact of political institutions on corruption based on an interesting paper on municipal elections in Brazil. The paper shows that the reelection specter helps in disciplining corrupt politicians Mayors with reelection incentives misappropriate 27 percent fewer resources than mayors without reelection incentives. These … [Read more...] about Accountability and corruption
The Costs of Crime and Violence in Latin America and the Caribbean
By: Ana Corbacho and Carlos Scartascini * Crime and violence are major concerns in Latin America and the Caribbean. The region suffers from the highest homicide rate in the world, reaching over 25 deaths per 100,000 people in recent years, tripling the global average. The region is also affected by widespread common crime, which victimizes more than 10 percent of the … [Read more...] about The Costs of Crime and Violence in Latin America and the Caribbean
If it rains less, will more kids die?
Just as you can’t use real rain to make movies, it turns out it’s not much good as an instrumental variable either: … [Read more...] about If it rains less, will more kids die?
Walmart and farmers’ welfare
A recent paper on the effects of WalMart on small farmers’ welfare in Nicaragua Despite more than a decade of NGO and government activities promoting developing world farmer participation in high-value agricultural markets, evidence regarding the household welfare effects of such initiatives is limited. This article analyzes the geographic placement of supermarket supply … [Read more...] about Walmart and farmers’ welfare