The Relationship Between Income Levels and Child Labor: A Cross Country Comparison

In this study, the relationship between child labour and poverty is adressed. In that respect, the historical and theoretical dimensions and aspects of the subject is discussed at first. Then, contemporary models that explain child labor using economic theory are examined. The aim of this study is to reveal the relationship between poverty and child labor by using per capita income and child labor ratio data of 148 countries. In that respect countries are divided into four groups according to their income levels (0-1000$; 1001-2000$; 2001-4000; 4001-9000$). Then using SPSS 10, the correlation coefficients between per capita incomes and child labor ratios within each group and in between 148 countries are computed. In the first two poor groups there is a significant relationship between per capita income and child labor ratios. Also, the relationship is significant (-.53) when 148 countries are taken into account.