Remittances, social security, and the crowding-out effect: Evidence from Vietnam

Hai La, Ying Xu

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

    Abstract

    In the absence of adequate social security systems, many people in developing countries, especially the poor and vulnerable, cope through migration-related remittances. However, when remittances, internal or international, provide social benefits similar to public transfers they may overlap: 'crowding-out' effects occur. Employing three long-sample Vietnam Household Living Standard surveys undertaken during the 2000s, this paper studies the crowding-out effects of remittances in Vietnam, a developing country that has experienced a soaring inflow of remittances since 2000. Significant crowding-out effects for both domestic and international remittances on income are found below the poverty line in Vietnam, consistent with an altruistic motive. Beyond this, transfer derivatives are positive and statistically significant in both areas, suggesting a switch of motives from altruism to exchange at the poverty line. The substituting relationship between public transfers and remittances observed for the rural poor reveals key challenges to delivering an equal and efficient social security system in the country.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)42-59pp
    JournalJournal of Asian Economics
    Volume49
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2017

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Remittances, social security, and the crowding-out effect: Evidence from Vietnam'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this