Perazzo, Ivone

This paper analyzes the channels of change of subjective well-being (SWB), and how are the effects of a social intermediation program. We develop a simple theoretical model to link SWB with the individual and reference wealth, the effort and the level of aspirations. After to overcome selection issues with an instrumental variable to identify causal effects, we find a negative impact on SWB being the main channel of this change is subjective relative wealth, i.e., the relation between the individual and the reference wealth. There is no effect through other theoretical channels, but the results on SWB are heterogeneous by psychological features; they are higher among those with low aspiration levels and external locus of control. Finally, we disentangle the main program characteristics that might generate this effect giving relevant information for the policymakers.

En este artículo se analiza la evolución de la cantidad de niños en los hogares uruguayos en la última década, considerando sus determinantes microeconómicos. Para ello, se consideran en primer lugar las diferencias en la fecundidad y en la cantidad de niños por hogar según estrato socio-económico en el período 1996-2006.

En este documento se analiza la relación entre el crecimiento económico y la pobreza en Uruguay. La literatura acerca de los efectos del crecimiento sobre el bienestar de la población ha tenido una rápida expansión en los últimos años. En el documento se revisan los distintos conceptos de crecimiento pro-pobre y se presentan resultados para distintas metodologías.

We consider the distributional impact of different changes in Uruguayan tax system, using a static micro-simulation framework based on the combination of data from household and expenditure surveys. On the indirect taxes side, we consider two alternatives that imply the same reduction in tax revenue: a general reduction of 2 points in the VAT basic rate, and a selective reduction in the VAT rate applied to specific goods that make up a large share of consumption of low income population. In relation to direct taxes, we consider the effects of increasing the upper limit of the tax free zone of the labor component of the dual income tax. We analyze separately the impact of each of these changes, and we also simulate a joint scenario including changes in direct and indirect taxes. Our results indicate that redistribution through the analyzed modifications in direct and indirect taxes in Uruguay is limited.

Idioma: Inglés