Conclusion: What Can We Learn from the Costa Rican Case?

In this book we have argued that securing the double incorporation, ensuring good jobs and social services for all should be a primary objective of public policy. Market and social incorporation are the best vehicles for poverty eradication, in terms of both income and capabilities like health and education. Good jobs will give poor families the stable income they need to improve their living standards, save and plan for the future. Public social services should help them confront risks and volatility and the accumulation of additional human capital. Improving access to the labour market and social policy for the less fortunate (the poor and lower-middle income groups) would make a significant contribution to income distribution. 1 These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.