The Economics of Power and Poverty in the Home

An open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO licence. It is free to read at Oxford Academic and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations.The primary goal of economics is, or should be, to improve the living conditions and overall well-being of individuals, but most analyses of inequality, poverty, and the redistributive effects of public policies are conducted instead at the household level. Similarly, the bulk of our data - whether drawn from surveys or administrative records - pertains to households rather than individuals. This approach might be acceptable if households were inherently equitable spaces. However, extensive research across the human and social sciences has revealed significant inequalities within families. Against this backdrop, The Economics of Power and Poverty in the Home begins by exploring what can be measured about the sharing of resources and the distribution of well-being within households, with particular attention to gender disparities and child poverty. Taking stock of a wide range of economic and social science research, it offers a critical assessment of available microeconomic models and measurement tools, examining what they can illuminate about intra-household dynamics. Olivier Bargain then investigates the key demographic, economic, and social factors that shape inequalities within households, including women's participation in the labour market and their control over income and assets, as well as broader contextual influences such as economic crises, social movements, media and role models, and the enduring impact of formal and informal norms. Some of these factors are also relevant as potential markers for policy intervention and the targeting of social programs, especially when they help to identify instances of acute inequities within families. Turning explicitly to redistributive policies, the volume analyses how cash transfers, in-kind benefits, and taxation can shift power dynamics within households and affect the poverty status of women and children. Throughout, the book critically engages with recent developments in academic and policy debates, and outlines directions for future research. It concludes by addressing the normative challenges households present for the design of equitable public policies, such as the complexities of redistributing resources both between and within households.