Poverty Relief Programs in Postcommunist Countries

A Case Study on the Albanian and Chinese Programs

Bibliographic Data

ID3291507
AuthorsGentian Qejvanaj (0000-0003-4220-4186, Zhejiang University, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume11
Issue2
Publication date2021-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSAGE Open (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2158-2440 • E-ISSN: 2158-2440
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/21582440211027871
OpenAlexW3173816537
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited22

Social assistance is a cash transfer program targeting the poorest households. China has created the Dibao (DB), meaning minimum livelihood guarantee, the most extensive unconditional cash transfer program globally with over 70 million people covered, whereas in Albania, the Ndhime Ekonomike (NE) meaning financial help covers around 15% of the total working-age population. Both programs are means-tested, have strict requirements for eligibility, and have been enlarged and modified in time to improve targeting and tackling leakage. In this article, we will look at similarities and common issues first, and then calculate the cost of enlarging both programs to all working-age population with no means-testing. We argue that a UBI (universal basic income) can increase private expenditure in health and education while costing less than 1% of gross domestic product (GDP) in both countries' rural areas. We will conclude by looking at how the COVID-19 outbreak is pushing developing countries toward a UBI by first adopting a temporary basic income (TBI

Agriculture · Business · Cash · China · Conditional cash transfer · Developing country · Development economics · Economic growth · Economics · Extreme poverty · Geography · Gross domestic product · Livelihood · Political science · Population · Poverty · Sociology · Agricultural risk and resilience · Demography · Healthcare Systems and Reforms · Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare · Finance

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