Abstract

PAZ, Jorge A.  and  PISELLI, Carolina. Child labor and household poverty in Argentina. Prob. Des [online]. 2011, vol.42, n.166, pp.135-156. ISSN 0301-7036.

The model of Basu and Van (1998) presents, at a theoretical level, the so-called luxury hypothesis, according to which households are headed by altruistic and poor parents who recur to child labor as a strategy to escape poverty. This focus states that if the economy is in a situation of multiple equilibrium, it may happen that the effective application of laws prohibiting child labor lead to a worsening of household welfare and an increase in poverty. Using data from the Activities of Boys, Girls and Adolescents carried out in Argentina in 2004, we explore empirically the altruistic parent hypothesis, examining how monetary poverty and material privation can be considered determinants of economic participation by girls, boys and adolescents.

Keywords : Child labor; poverty; Argentina; infancy and childhood.

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