Skoufias, EmmanuelLindert, KathyShapiro, Joseph2012-03-302012-03-302010World Development0305750Xhttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/4952This paper focuses on measuring the extent to which publicly subsidized transfers in Latin America and the Caribbean redistribute income. The redistributive power of 56 transfers in eight countries is measured by their simulated impacts on poverty and inequality, and by their distributional characteristic. Our findings suggest that public transfers can be effective instruments to redistribute income to the poor. Despite coverage and distributional patterns that favor the poor, small unit subsidies limit the redistributive, poverty and inequality impacts of even the most targeted social assistance programs.ENPersonal Income, Wealth, and Their Distributions D310International Economic Order F020Taxation and Subsidies: ExternalitiesRedistributive EffectsEnvironmental Taxes and Subsidies H230Measurement and Analysis of Poverty I320Welfare and Poverty: Government ProgramsProvision and Effects of Welfare Programs I380Economic Development: Human ResourcesHuman DevelopmentIncome DistributionMigration O150Journal ArticleWorld Bank