The Myth of the Poverty Trap
May 13, 2025•55 min•Ep. 50
Episode description
In 1981, an estimated 44 percent of the global population lived in extreme poverty. In 2019, that number shrank to just 9 percent. We often think of poverty as a trap, but recent research shows it doesn’t have to be. The economist and co-founder of GiveDirectly, Paul Niehaus, explains how extreme poverty fell over the past 40 years and how it could be eliminated for good.
Further reading:
“How Poverty Fell,” by Vincent Armentano, Paul Niehaus, and Tom Vogl
“How Progressives Froze the American Dream,” by Yoni Appelbaum
One Illness Away: Why People Become Poor and How They Escape Poverty, by Anirudh Krishna
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