Minimum wage increases are not a very effective mechanism for reducing poverty. They are not related to decreases in poverty rates. They can cost some low-income workers their jobs. And most minimum wage earners who gain from a higher minimum wage do not live in poor (or near-poor) families. A...

A unique multiperiod data set is used to look at the income distribution effects of the retirement portion of the social security system of Panama. While it is clear that the system is an important source of income for workers, it is argued that its redistributive importance is greatly exaggerated