When labor incomes approach subsistence levels, the labor supply curve slopes outward, because the fight for survival mandates households to look for longer work hours in response to falling wage rates. We explore conditions under which near-subsistence scenarios may imply wage traps, labor...

This paper begins with the definition, measurement, and other conceptual issues related to poverty in the developing world. It then makes an international comparison of experiences in poverty alleviation—how various countries and regions have fared in alleviating poverty before the COVID-19...