Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Jorge Martinez-Vazquez 
Author-Email: jorgemartinez@gsu.edu 
Author-Homepage: https://icepp.gsu.edu/profile/jorge-martinez-vazquez/
Author-Workplace-Name:  International Studies Program. Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University
Author-Workplace-Homepage:  https://icepp.gsu.edu/
Author-Name:Panupong Panudulkitti
Author-Email: p_panupong@yahoo.com
Author-Name: Andrey Timofeev
Author-Email:atimofeev@gsu.edu
Author-Homepage: http://aysps.gsu.edu/isp/TimofeevA.html
Author-Workplace-Name: International Studies Program. Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University
Author-Workplace-Homepage: https://icepp.gsu.edu/
Title: Urbanization and the Poverty Level
Abstract:This paper analyzes the effect of urbanization on the poverty level. Our theoretical model suggests a U-shape relationship between the level of urbanization and poverty. Urbanization contributes to poverty reduction but at much higher levels, urbanization leads to increases in poverty. Empirically, we estimate the “optimal level” of urbanization by using: (i) an instrumental variable approach in the framework of the generalized method of moments and (ii) a dynamic panel analysis approach. We also investigate the robustness of the impact of urbanization on the poverty level by examining a variety of linkages.  The empirical analysis covers different regions of the world to study whether the magnitude of the urbanization effects varies across regions. Our results support the hypothesis that there exists a U-shape relationship between the level of urbanization and the poverty level.
Keywords: urbanization, public infrastructure, poverty reduction, pro-poor growth 
Length: 54 pages
Creation-Date: 2009-12-01
File-URL: http://icepp.gsu.edu/files/2017/10/ispwp0914.pdf
File-Format:application/pdf
Handle: RePEc:ays:ispwps:paper0914