Political Responses of Conditional Income Transfer Recipients: A Mechanism Approach

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter studies whether participation in conditional income transfer programmes in Latin America generates observable political responses and whether these responses indicate improvements in the political inclusion of participants. It adopts a causal mechanism approach to study political responses to transfer receipt, seeking to cast light on the links existing between transfer receipt and political outputs and outcomes among recipients. A review of available literature helps identify three possible causal mechanisms: a support for redistribution mechanism; a bureaucratic mechanism encouraging political engagement; and a cognitive change mechanism. Analysis of empirical counterparts using attitudinal data from the AmericasBarometer for the period 2010–2019 confirms the relevance of these mechanisms for our understanding of political responses of conditional income transfers recipients.