Comments on Adina Mihǎilescu, The Minimum Cost of Living, an Instrument in Social Policy, Romanian Academy Publishing House, Bucharest, 2014, 107 p.

Abstract

The aim of the article is to discuss poverty estimates based on the minimum income that different household types would need to acquire the minimum consumption basket. The article reviews Adina Mihăilescu’s book presenting her main results: the minimum wage and the minimum pension are not set high enough to lift people out of poverty, the unemployment benefit and the minimum income guaranteed do not cover the basic costs of living, having more children increases the risk of poverty, since children’s allowance does not offset the cost.