Economic growth, poverty, and the international agencies

During the past few years, the international agencies have been playing down economic growth as the main road to the elimination of poverty and emphasizing the role of asset and income redistribution. The latest reflection of this attitude is the so-called “basic needs” approach. This essay attempts to demonstrate that where economic growth has been sufficiently high and sustained, it has been a powerful means of alleviating poverty. Growth has not “failed”; there is simply not enough International agencies should be cautious in advocating redistribution, for the results .