The war against generational poverty: a comparative study of conditional cash transfer programs in Brazil, Chile, and Jamaica

Abstract

This thesis is a comparative study of the conditional cash transfer programs in Brazil, Chile, and Jamaica to analyze the implementation and effectiveness of each program with regard to the social, political, and economic environment of each country. These countries have vastly different population demographics, economic characteristics, and socio-political problems. However, they each adopted, to a greater or lesser extent, the same social welfare policies to combat poverty and income inequality and to enhance human capital. By conducting a comparative analysis that examines the evolution of conditional cash transfer (CCT) program implementation in each country, with a particular emphasis on efforts to adapt programs to context, I hope to lay out plainly how these different country characteristics have contributed to the variable success of CCTs in achieving their goals. Each program appears to be a fit for the political and economic make-up of its parent country. Additionally, they are critical parts to poverty reduction. However, results are mixed on how much the CCTs contribute to improved health and education outcomes.