Three Essays On The Policy Induced Effects On Household Welfare And Community Development

Public policy plays a vital role in almost every sector of the modern society. In particular, economic policies and regulations affect the decision-making process of market participants either directly or indirectly. The design and reform of economic policies often have intended or unintended micro-level consequences, affecting the welfare of ordinary households and the development of local communities. This dissertation investigates such policy-induced effects on three particular matters, with evidence from both China and the United States. In the context of China, reforms on the land tenure system and the household registration (hukou) system affect the land and labor allocation within rural households, resulting in changes to their economic welfare. On the other hand, in the U.S. context, the disbursement schedule of monthly food stamp benefits is directly linked to the consumption pattern of recipient households, which in turn affects the prevalence and severity of food security in the local communities. As such, a seemingly minor change in the timing of welfare payment can potentially lead to significant changes in the observed incidence of crime and violent conduct. Based on all the empirical findings, I discuss related policy implications accordingly in either context.