2007年-世界发展银行全球_Poverty_and_Regional_Development_in_Eastern_Europe_and_Central_Asia_80页_868kb

报告摘要

Summary of Poverty and Regional Development in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Core Content

This document, authored by William Dillinger, explores the role of regional development in addressing poverty within the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region. It examines whether regional economic growth is an effective strategy for poverty alleviation, and if not, what alternative approaches might be more suitable. The paper also analyzes the motivations behind regional development policies and the effectiveness of various intervention methods.

Main Objectives of Regional Development

The primary objective of regional development in the ECA region, as highlighted in the document, is poverty reduction. However, other goals include:

Promoting national or local economic growth
Maintaining territorial integrity
Addressing socio-political concerns such as preventing mass migration and ethnic secession

In the European Union, regional development is often framed in terms of "convergence", aiming to bring lagging regions up to the level of more developed ones.

Key Findings on Poverty and Regional Concentration

Poverty is not always geographically concentrated. In many ECA countries, poor people live in regions that are, on average, rich.
Poverty is strongly linked to individual characteristics such as low education levels and age profiles that limit labor market participation.
Regional disparities vary widely depending on the definition of regions and the poverty indicators used. For example:
- In Poland, the poorest region accounts for only 3% of the country's poor, while the richest region accounts for 30%.
- In Turkey, only 17% of the poor live in the poorest region (Eastern Anatolia), and this is not significantly different from the richest region (Marmara).
Economic disparities are more pronounced in countries like Russia and Kazakhstan compared to Western Europe.

Challenges with Using Regional Growth as an Anti-Poverty Strategy

May miss the target: Poverty is not solely a geographic issue.
Misdiagnosis of causes: Poverty is often due to individual factors rather than regional ones.
Ignores migration: In regions with few economic prospects, labor out-migration may be more effective than capital in-migration in reducing poverty.
Ineffective interventions: Traditional tools such as infrastructure investments and subsidies to firms can be costly and have mixed results. For example:
- Highway investments can open new markets but also expose local industries to external competition.
- Education is only beneficial if it aligns with market needs.
- Firm-specific incentives may influence location decisions but do not guarantee broader economic benefits.

Policy Instruments and Approaches

The paper discusses several policy instruments that could be more effective in addressing regional poverty:

Macro-level infrastructure (e.g., transportation, power, and telecommunications)
Education and training for improving labor market participation
Improving the business climate through regulatory reforms
Firm-specific subsidies to encourage investment in growth sectors

It also emphasizes the importance of custom-tailored approaches, which involve:

Detailed diagnosis of regional constraints
Identification of key growth sectors
Coordination among public and private actors

However, the feasibility of such comprehensive strategies is questionable due to:

Difficulty in reaching consensus among stakeholders
Inability of local governments to influence major growth determinants
Risk of creating political orphans when new regional entities are established

Recommendations

Governments should be cautious in using regional development as a primary anti-poverty tool.
Geographically-defined analysis can help identify location-specific constraints, but it should not replace more direct poverty alleviation measures.
Direct anti-poverty measures such as:
- Improved targeting of income transfers to low-income households
- Investments in education and skills for the labor force
Reduce barriers to labor migration to allow individuals to move to areas with better opportunities.
Address capital migration barriers through national reforms in finance, business regulation, and infrastructure delivery.

Conclusion

While regional development can play a supportive role in poverty reduction, it is not a panacea. Effective poverty alleviation requires a combination of targeted interventions, improved education, and better migration policies. The paper concludes that regional development should complement, not replace, more direct anti-poverty strategies.

Key Figures and Data

Chart 1: Economic disparities in selected ECA countries show wide variations.
Table 1: Correlation between GRP per capita and poverty indicators.
Table 2: Variations in regional poverty indicators across ECA countries.
Table 3: Correlation between poverty rate and regional characteristics.
Table 4: Statistical relationship between educational attainment and deep poverty rates.
Table 5: Average population of local governments in selected ECA countries.

References and Sources

EU Regional Policy: Focuses on growth, cohesion, and innovation.
World Bank: Supports regional development through its own poverty reduction initiatives.
Case studies: Include examples from Poland, Turkey, and other ECA countries.
Literature review: Draws from academic and policy sources to analyze the effectiveness of regional development strategies.