A theory of the worst forms of child labour

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Dessy, SE; Pallage, S
• 署名单位: Laval University; University of Quebec; University of Quebec Montreal
• 刊物名称: ECONOMIC JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0013-0133
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0297.2004.00960.x
• 发表日期: 2005
• 页码: 68-87
• 关键词: inequality; wage

摘要

Although intuitive and morally compelling, a ban on the worst forms of child labour in poor countries is unlikely to be welfare improving. We show that harmful forms of child labour have an economic role: by maintaining wages for child labour high enough, they allow human capital accumulation in poor countries. Unless appropriate mechanisms are designed to mitigate the decline in child labour wages caused by reduced employment options for children, a ban on harmful forms of child labour will likely prove undesirable. We perform our analysis within a simple model of parental investment in children's education.