Parker research cited in The Economist

In an article investigating the impact of cash transfer programs to the poor in Mexico, Economist authors report on differences between the current universal system and a previous highly successful and influential program called Progresa / Prospera. That program featured conditional transfers and was retired when the populist Morena political party gained prominence. The authors cited research by Faculty Associate Susan Parker and colleagues that found "drop-out rates rose after Prospera was scrapped, particularly for boys aged 15-17."

The Economist authors conclude, "If [the] government was forced to cut back its handouts, or took the risk of tipping the economy into instability in order to preserve them, Morena’s sky-high support could crumble. Generous handouts may help win elections, but it’s not hard to see how they could become a liability."

See the article in The Economist (requires a free account to view)

Published on Thu, 07/24/2025 - 11:25