Episode 10: Cash transfers

Thinking of giving money to charity? Maybe you should give to a charity that does cash transfers - that is, gives the money directly to low-income people with no or minimal strings attached. Many in the “effective altruism” movement, which aims to find the best ways to spend money to improve people’s lives, are big fans of cash transfers to people in developing countries.

But lately, some blockbuster studies on cash transfers have come under heavy criticism. Does this cast doubt on the whole idea? In this episode, Tom and Stuart look at these new studies, and the evidence on cash transfers in general. How much do cash transfers really help when it comes to poverty, health, child development, and homelessness?

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Show notes

• Cost of a guide dog versus the cost of a cataract (or other sight-saving) operation

• GiveWell’s page on cash transfers

• Trial of GiveDirectly’s programme in Kenya; one of a programme in Uganda

• 2016 systematic review on cash transfers from the Overseas Development Institute

• 2019 systematic review of cash transfers on many different outcomes

• Reviews and meta-analyses of the evidence on cash transfers for: HIV prevention; stunting; young people’s mental health; adolescent and adult mental health

• Nature paper on cash transfers for preventing early mortality

  • Stuart’s critical article in the i

• PNAS paper on cash transfers in the US on children’s brain development

  • Stuart’s critical article in the Atlantic

  • Andrew Gelman’s post on the study

  • The book Brainwashed: The Seductive Allure of Mindless Neuroscience

• PNAS paper on cash transfers in Canada for homelessness, and its press release

  • Jon Baron’s critical thread

Credits

The Studies Show is produced by Julian Mayers at Yada Yada Productions.