The working poor contribute to, and benefit from, economic growth through labour markets and paid work, but employment generation has not featured significantly in the macroeconomic agenda. It was assumed that opening up economies to global competition and flexible labour markets would generate labour-intensive growth trajectories and secure livelihoods, leaving public measures for social protection restricted to those unable to earn their own living, but these predictions have not been borne out in practice.
Poverty rates have declined, yet globalisation has brought new insecurity. Labour market flexibility has increased labour force participation but the informal nature of these jobs mean they are precarious and badly paid, trapping some in chronic poverty.
Thinking on social protection, concerned about possible distortions of the labour market, has done little to stem the spread of informal employment. Despite policy commitment to poverty reduction through labour-intensive growth, the gains for the poor have been ambiguous. These themes were explored in a 2007 workshop convened by IDS and WIEGO.
Bringing together researchers, practitioners and policymakers, their contributions now make up this IDS Bulletin. Articles cover the changing nature of the global economy, flexible labour market policies in different regions of the world, conceptualisation of labour markets, implications for macroeconomic policies, and the scope for social protection. The conclusion is the need for a better understanding of the way labour markets function in the ‘real’ world if we are to find policies that will better deliver on the outcomes they promise.
Table of contents
Introduction: Economic Growth, Social Protection and ‘Real’ Labour Markets: Linking Theory and Policy (pdf) Sarah Cook, James Heintz and Naila Kabeer
Revisiting Labour Markets: Implications for Macroeconomics and Social Protection James Heintz
Informality and Social Protection: Theories and Realities Martha Chen
Informal Employment Re-loaded Johannes Jutting, Jante Parlevliet and Theodora Xenogiani
Choices or Constraints? Informality, Labour Market and Poverty in Mexico Mercedes Gonzalez de la Rocha and Agustin Escobar Latapi
The Challenge of Informality: Perspectives on China’s Changing Labour Market’ Sarah Cook
Informal Employment, Labour Markets and Social Protection: Some Conisiderations Based on South African Estimates’ Imraan Valodia
The Goal of Decent Work Gerry Rodgers
From the Consensus Reforms to Reforms for Protected and Inclusive Employment Victor Tokman
Informal Employment and Pension and Healthcare Coverage by Social Insurance in Latin America Carmelo Mesa-Lago
Social Protection and the Labour Market: Towards a Research Agenda Francie Lund
Economic Policies for Growth and Poverty Reduction: PRSPs, Neoliberal Conditionalities and “Post-Consensus” Alternatives Terry McKinley
A Macroeconomic Framework for Growth and Employment Generation Ricardo Gottschalk
Macroeconomic Policy, Labour Markets and Growth in Developed and Developing Countries John Toye
Macroeconomic Policies to Address Informality: A Two-pronged Strategy to Foster Dynamic Transformations that Reduce Informaltiy Radhika Lal
Editors
