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This article aims to analyse the spatial and temporal evolution of multidimensional poverty in Brazil's North Region and its relationship with territorial, economic and population dynamics.

A multidimensional poverty index (MPI) was calculated using the Alkire-Foster method and a spatial econometric model was estimated. The data come from population censuses conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) for the years 1991, 2000 and 2010.

The results show a decrease in multidimensional poverty over the period analysed. However, they show this reduction occurred in a heterogeneous way in time and space, with emphasis on microregions in which, despite a reduction in the rate, the percentage of the population considered multidimensionally poor remained high during the 30 years of the study.

The quality of available data.

It is possible to point out that public policies focused on improving infrastructure in medium-sized locations tend to have two positive effects: first, making production and consumption more accessible and sustainable for local communities, given that currently the cost of transport and logistics are factors that hinder socioeconomic development; second, to reduce the pressure of demand that this population of small and medium-sized locations exerts on public services currently offered only in larger locations. Although the logic of concentrating most public services in the largest cities makes sense in terms of economic efficiency, the particularities of the northern region and the recognition of its environmental importance point to the need for incentives for more spatially distributed economic activity.

From the paper results, it is possible to think about more local public policies which are able to improve people's lifes without to damage the environment.

This is the first study on multidimensional poverty that covers the entire North region of Brazil (Amazon region) and that contemplates both the temporal and spatial dynamics of poverty.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-11-2021-0699.

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to investigate if there is any evidence of differentials in the well-being achievements of two groups which will be called the “artificially” and the “truly” not poor; and second, to test the hypothesis that income from work is a better entitlement than income received from social programs.

The author used data from the 2008 Brazilian Household Budget Survey and selected two groups. Both groups are composed of people living between the absolute and the relative poverty line. The group that is living above the absolute poverty line only due to cash transfer programs will be considered the “artificially” not poor. And people who are out of absolute poverty but not receiving any help from social program are considered the “truly” (and not absolutely) poor. The hypothesis was tested using structural equation modeling.

The results support the hypothesis that people who are not receiving income from cash transfer programs achieve a higher level of well-being in the dimensions of housing and food. Food and housing capabilities affect each other and such result reinforces the multidimensionality of the Brazilian poverty.

The main limitations refers to the restrict number of dimensions and to the necessity to adapt the indicators available to answer the paper objectives.

The paper results can help the policy makers to better understand the cash transfer programs attainment and boundaries.

The paper results highlight that the cash transfer programs, even being useful to improve people well-being, are not sufficient to promote human capabilities and are not truly undertaking the multidimensional deprivations of the poor.

The paper compares two groups of people living with identical amount of income acquired from different origins.