Chapter 15: Problem 17

How does the poverty trap discourage people from working?

Short Answer

Expert verified

The poverty trap discourages people from working by creating a situation where working more hours or earning more income results in a person receiving fewer benefits from government assistance programs, ultimately leading to minimal or no change in their total income. This creates a disincentive for individuals to work, as they may not be financially better off if they work more or take up a better-paying job. To break the poverty trap, government assistance programs can be restructured to reduce the disincentives they create for work, encouraging education and skill development, and ensuring access to affordable childcare and healthcare.

Step by step solution

Define the Poverty Trap

The poverty trap is an economic phenomenon where people in poverty face systemic barriers and disincentives that prevent them from earning higher incomes, thus keeping them in poverty. These barriers might include high taxes, loss of government benefits, lack of access to proper education and healthcare, and limited job opportunities.

Identify the Mechanism of the Poverty Trap

In the context of discouraging people from working, the poverty trap often refers to a situation where working more hours or earning more income results in a person receiving fewer benefits from government assistance programs. As a result, the total income (including government benefits) changes very little or even decreases when they work more. This creates a disincentive for individuals to work, as they feel they may not be better off financially if they work more or take up a better-paying job.

Illustrate with an Example

For instance, consider a person receiving some income from part-time work and additional financial assistance from the government. Let's say they receive $1000 per month from work and $500 from government benefits, totaling $1500. If they decide to work full-time and earn $1500 per month from their job, the government may reduce their benefits to $200. In this case, their total income is now $1700, which is only a $200 increase for twice the amount of work.

Explain the Disincentive to Work

The problem with the poverty trap is that it creates a disincentive to work more or pursue better-paying jobs. In our example, the person may feel that working full-time is not worth the extra effort since the increase in total income is minimal (only $200 more in this case). This, in turn, results in people remaining in poverty and not contributing as much to the economy as they could if their efforts translated to higher earnings.

Identify Solutions to Break the Poverty Trap

One way to break the poverty trap is to restructure government assistance programs to reduce the disincentives they create for work. This may include tailoring benefits in such a way that they reduce more gradually as a person's income from work increases, encouraging education and skill development, or providing incentives for employers to hire low-income individuals. Ensuring access to affordable childcare and healthcare can also help remove barriers that prevent people in poverty from working and earning higher incomes.