The informal economy has burgeoned in many transition economies but particularly in the Former Soviet Union. While the variation in the size of the informal economy has been related to differences in tax regimes and the degree of transparency in the legal and commercial system the causality is...

One challenge in transition economies has been to avoid being caught between overrapid restructuring (harmful to the private sector) and gradual change (can undermine robust private sector emergence). Empirical evidence suggests that in most of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union,...

The paper provides an up-to date and selective review of the literature on how social safety nets contribute to growth. The evidence is carefully chosen to show how safety nets have the potential to overcome constraints on growth linked to market failures, and is organized into 4 distinct...

Cover -- Half Title -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- About the Authors -- Abbreviations -- Overview: Exploring Universal Basic Income -- References -- Chapter 1. The Idea of Universal Basic Income -- A Glimpse at History -- Anatomy of UBI -- Universality --...

"Universal Basic Income (UBI) is one of the most hotly-debated ideas in development and social protection. Drawing from global evidence and experiences, this volume provides a compass to help navigate key issues and trade-offs, as well as offering new data and insights to better inform choices...

The paper provides an up-to date and selective review of the literature on how social safety nets contribute to growth. The evidence is carefully chosen to show how safety nets have the potential to overcome constraints on growth linked to market failures, and is organized into four distinct...