Dominican Republic : Social and Structural Policy Review, Volume 1

World Bank

Dominican Republic : Social and Structural Policy Review, Volume 1

Autores

World Bank

Editor

Washington, DC

Descripción

The report outlines the macroeconomic stability in the Dominican Republic during the 1990s, suggesting its strong economic growth, and poverty reduction, will contribute to the gradual transformation the country is undergoing towards policy reform. It analyzes poverty, especially severe in rural areas, where misdirected agriculture policies, and insufficient public investments, such as education, limit opportunities. But, the advancing trade liberalization, is expected to reduce export taxes, and although displaced industrial, and agricultural activities will be subjected to adjustment costs, there will nonetheless be improvements in consumers' welfare, and real wages. However, public resources for education remain very low, particularly for secondary education, and this should be considered as key element of the government's poverty reduction strategy, in addition to the establishment of safety nets to curtail malnutrition, and expand health, and sanitation programs, to tackle the extreme poverty. Recommendations suggest, first, to reduce macroeconomic vulnerabilities, through tight fiscal, and monetary policies, and, second, implement reforms, to prod a business environment, and, a strengthened banking sector, through market, and regulatory mechanisms.

Palabras clave

ACCOUNTABILITY, AGGREGATE INDICATORS, AGRICULTURE, ANALYTICAL WORK, ANNUAL GROWTH, ANNUAL GROWTH RATE, AVERAGE PRODUCTIVITY, BANKING SECTOR, BANKING SYSTEM, BUSINESS COMMUNITY, BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT, CAPITAL ACCUMULATION, CENTRAL BANK, CENTRALIZATION, CIVIL SOCIETY, COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT, COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK, CONSUMERS, CORPORATE GOVERNANCE, CURRENCY UNIT, DEBT, DEMAND FOR MONEY, DEMOCRACY, DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS, DEPENDENT VARIABLE, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, DUAL ECONOMY, ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, ECONOMIC GROWTH, ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE, ECONOMIC REFORMS, ECONOMIC STRUCTURE, EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, EMPLOYMENT, EXCHANGE RATE, EXPENDITURE SURVEY, EXPORTS, EXTERNAL SHOCKS, EXTREME POVERTY, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, FINANCIAL SECTOR, FINANCIAL SECTOR LIBERALIZATION, FINANCIAL SERVICES, FREE TRADE, GDP, GNP, GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT, GROWTH RATES, HIGH GROWTH, HOUSEHOLD CHARACTERISTICS, HOUSEHOLD HEAD, HOUSEHOLD INCOME, HOUSEHOLD SURVEY, HUMAN CAPITAL, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, IMPORT QUOTAS, INCOME, INCOME COUNTRIES, INCOME DISTRIBUTION, INCOME GROUPS, INCOME QUINTILES, INDUSTRIAL SECTOR, INFLATION, INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY, INSURANCE, INTEREST RATES, INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION, LABOR FORCE, LABOR MARKET, LABOR MARKETS, LEGISLATION, LONG RUN, LONG-TERM PROCESS, MACROECONOMIC CRISIS, MACROECONOMIC INSTABILITY, MACROECONOMIC MANAGEMENT, MACROECONOMIC PERFORMANCE, MACROECONOMIC POLICY, MACROECONOMIC STABILITY, MONETARY POLICIES, MONETARY POLICY, NATIONAL ACCOUNTS, NATIONAL ELECTIONS, NEGATIVE IMPACT, PER CAPITA INCOME, PER-CAPITA INCOME, POLICY ENVIRONMENT, POLICY FRAMEWORK, POLICY INITIATIVES, POLICY MAKING, POLICY REFORMS, POLICY REVIEW, POLITICAL INFLUENCE, POLITICAL PARTIES, POOR GROWTH, POOR PERFORMANCE, POVERTY ALLEVIATION, POVERTY GAP, POVERTY REDUCTION, POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY, PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH, PROPERTY RIGHTS, PROTECTIONISM, PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT, PUBLIC EXPENDITURE, PUBLIC EXPENDITURE REVIEW, PUBLIC EXPENDITURES, PUBLIC GOODS, PUBLIC POLICIES, PUBLIC POLICY, PUBLIC PROCUREMENT, PUBLIC RESOURCES, PUBLIC SECTOR, PUBLIC SECTOR MANAGEMENT, PUBLIC SERVICES, REAL INTEREST RATES, REAL WAGES, RECURRENT EXPENDITURES, REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION, REGRESSION ANALYSIS, REGULATORY FRAMEWORK, RURAL AREAS, RURAL HOUSEHOLDS, RURAL POOR, SAFETY NET, SAFETY NETS, SAMPLE HOUSEHOLDS, SAVINGS, SECONDARY SCHOOLS, SKEWED DISTRIBUTION, SKILLED LABOR, SOCIAL CONDITIONS, SOCIAL PROTECTION, SOCIAL SERVICES, STATE INTERVENTIONS, STRUCTURAL REFORM, STRUCTURAL REFORMS, TARIFF BARRIERS, TAX REFORMS, TAXATION, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, TOTAL FACTOR PRODUCTIVITY, TOTAL FACTOR PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH, TRADE LIBERALIZATION, TRADE POLICY, TRADE REFORMS, TRADE REGIME, TRANSPARENCY, UNEMPLOYMENT, UNEMPLOYMENT RATES, URBAN AREAS, URBAN HOUSEHOLDS, URBAN POOR, VALUE ADDED, WAGES, WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION, WTO SOCIAL PLANNING, SOCIAL POLICY REFORM, STRUCTURAL REFORMS, ECONOMIC GROWTH, POVERTY REDUCTION, POLICY REFORM, AGRICULTURAL POLICIES, PUBLIC INVESTMENTS, EDUCATIONAL INVESTMENT, TRADE LIBERALIZATION, EXPORT TAXES, INDUSTRIAL CAPACITY, ADJUSTMENT COSTS, WAGE INCENTIVES, CONSUMER CONFIDENCE, POVERTY ALLEVIATION MECHANISMS, SAFETY NET POLICIES, MALNUTRITION, HEALTH PROGRAMS, SANITATION SERVICES, MACROECONOMICS, FISCAL CONSTRAINTS, MONETARY POLICY, BUSINESS CONDITIONS, BANKING SECTOR REFORMS, MARKET REFORMS, REGULATORY FRAMEWORK