During the course of development, wages and labor productivity are much higher in the nonfarm sectors of the economy than in agriculture. In this paper, we examine the sources and consequences of wage and productivity gaps in the U.S. from 1800 to 2000. We build a quantitative general...

In most developing countries, poverty is more widespread and severe in rural than in urban areas. The author reviews some important aspects of rural poverty and draws key implications for public policy. He presents a policy framework for reducing poverty, taking into account the functional...

This paper discusses Bangladesh’s Fourth Review Under the Three-Year Arrangement Under the Extended Credit Facility and Request for Modification of Performance Criteria (PC). All PCs at end-December 2013 (the test date for the fourth review) were met, and all structural benchmarks have...

Bangladesh’s second Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper -- “Steps Towards Change: National Strategy for Accelerated Poverty Reduction II (NSAPR II)†– provides a framework for implementing the government’s agenda during FY09-FY11. First prepared by a Caretaker...

Limited diversification is an underlying characteristic of many low-income countries (LICs). Concentration in sectors with limited scope for increases in productivity and quality may result in less broad-based and sustainable growth. Moreover, lack of diversification may increase exposure to...

This paper discusses Bangladesh’s Third Review Under the Extended Credit Facility and Request for Modification of Performance Criteria. Political uncertainty and nationwide strikes are taking a toll on economic activity, with private investment most affected. Real GDP growth moderated in...