Ravallion, Martin2012-03-302012-03-302009World Development0305750Xhttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/4864At the outset of China's reform period, the country had a far higher poverty rate than Africa as a whole. Within five years that was no longer true. This paper tries to explain how China escaped from a situation in which extreme poverty persisted due to failed and unpopular policies. While acknowledging that Africa faces constraints that China did not, two lessons for Africa stand out. The first is the initial importance of productivity growth in smallholder agriculture, which will require both market-based incentives and public support. The second is the role played by strong leadership and a capable public administration at all levels of government.ENPublic AdministrationPublic Sector Accounting and Audits H830Measurement and Analysis of Poverty I320Welfare and Poverty: Government ProgramsProvision and Effects of Welfare Programs I380Economic Development: Human ResourcesHuman DevelopmentIncome DistributionMigration O150Formal and Informal SectorsShadow EconomyInstitutional Arrangements O170Socialist Institutions and Their Transitions: Consumer EconomicsHealthEducation and Training: Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty P360Journal ArticleWorld Bank