Appreciate the response. Descriptively, I’m sure you’re right about the rationale behind these decisions. I think failing to factor in even the most obvious drivers of quality of lives might be politically more comfortable but has important implications, perhaps even for these specific populations. For example, making adjustments might justify:
1. Moving dollars towards interventions aimed at human capital development (lead removal, (perhaps) deworming).
2.Saving more lives in countries that have regions that are quite poor but have better future prospects.
I’m also skeptical of the idea that generally improving public health on the margin will contribute in any meaningful way to improving institutional quality. I’m not arguing as some libertarians do that doing this hampers the incentive to provide public services. But on the other hand, it’s also far from likely that improving public health will improve instituions in the long term. I agree the causation might run both ways but probably much stronger in one direction. (especially since there are all too many examples of places with much better public health but awful institutional quality (Venezuela, Iraq etc come to mind)
Appreciate the response. Descriptively, I’m sure you’re right about the rationale behind these decisions. I think failing to factor in even the most obvious drivers of quality of lives might be politically more comfortable but has important implications, perhaps even for these specific populations. For example, making adjustments might justify:
1. Moving dollars towards interventions aimed at human capital development (lead removal, (perhaps) deworming).
2.Saving more lives in countries that have regions that are quite poor but have better future prospects.
I’m also skeptical of the idea that generally improving public health on the margin will contribute in any meaningful way to improving institutional quality. I’m not arguing as some libertarians do that doing this hampers the incentive to provide public services. But on the other hand, it’s also far from likely that improving public health will improve instituions in the long term. I agree the causation might run both ways but probably much stronger in one direction. (especially since there are all too many examples of places with much better public health but awful institutional quality (Venezuela, Iraq etc come to mind)