Applying the Minimum Income Standard in Diverse National Contexts

Abstract

This chapter analyzes some of the challenges associated with research work that applies the Minimum Income Standards (MIS) approach in different national contexts around the globe. It delves into the conception of minimum living standards across different country contexts that requires a concerted effort to establish how much is enough in each context. It also points out that the definitions of minimum living standards should not only reflect the values and norms of a given country, but also that these definitions should function as the basis for establishing consensus about the sorts of goods and services needed to achieve the minimum living standard. The chapter stresses how the MIS work across diverse contexts requires a certain level of “translation.” It investigates the MIS programme of research conducted in Mexico, Singapore and South Africa, which confirms that the “minimum” can have different meanings, connotations, interpretations, and even contestations.