- Maitreesh Ghatak in the Indian Express on how much a basic income guarantee would cost in India, and whether it could be paid for. His estimate is it would cost 11% of GDP, whereas NREGA only costs 0.3%. Includes the stunning fact that “only 1 per cent of Indians actually pay income tax, while a mere 2.3 per cent file tax returns”.
- More on UBI: the Chicago Booth IGM economic experts panel finds US economists are overwhelmingly against a UBI in the USA
- From the IDB development that works blog, the Mexican government’s Self-Reported Expanded Well-Being Study (expanded BIARE) survey of 44,000 people includes measures of measures that include personal autonomy, feelings of achievement, security, affection, family, friends, or feelings about having a purpose in life.
- The Washington Post wonkblog summarizes the forthcoming JEP paper by Chris Blattman, Ted Miguel and co-authors on how war seems to foster cooperation in affected communities afterwards.
- In Slate, Ray Fisman and Tim Sullivan on how science undervalues novelty, and why researchers need to take more risks.
- A new practical guide to mobile phone panel surveys in developing countries from a World Bank team.
- Call for papers: Development conference to be held at Fordham University on September 16.
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