These numbers sound a bit strange -- surely, $4,000 a year would not put a person above the poverty line in United States.[ Geert REUTEN wrote: > I have been reading in the UNDP "Human Development Report 2001" > The previous report I read was that of 1999, so my question below may in > fact apply (also) to the 2000 Report. > > For its definition of the "poverty line" for "developed" (rich) countries > the UNDP adopts the US definition. In 1999 (and 2000?) this was fixed at > $14.40 a day. (For other rich countries this amount is calibrated on the > basis of Purchasing Power Parity (PPS).) > In the 2001 Report the poverty line has been reduced to $11 a day! The > argument is that the US now adopts the $11 poverty line. > > For your information: the 1999 Report provides the figure of 14.2% of the > US population under the poverty line. In the 2001 Report this is 14% (i.e. > at $11; at $14.40 it would obviously have been much higher). The UK, e.g., > does worse even for the new line: at $14.40 in the 1999 report some 13.7% > of the population was below; at $11 in the 2001 report 16%. > > Now my questions: > 1. Has there been public discussion in the US about the poverty line > reduction? > 2. Does anybody know if there has been resistance within the UNDP of > adopting the adapted US line? > 3. Does anybody know about statistics maintaining the previous line? > > Finally, as a Christmas statistic I can inform you that the USA provides > development aid amounting to $33 per US head per year (the year 1999). The > average for all (about 25) rich countries together for 1999 is no more than > $66 per head. [In 1990 this figure was $55 for the USA and $72 for the rich > countries on average. "Top" aid is by Denmark, moving from $248 per head in > 1990 to $331 per head in 1999.] > On the other side of the balance this means that developing countries > receive aid of on average $8.30 per head per year (1999). > > Comradely, > Geert -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University michael@ecst.csuchico.edu Chico, CA 95929 530-898-5321 fax 530-898-5901
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