Last May, a study came out suggesting that merely giving people money doesn’t do much to lift them out of poverty.

Families with at least one child received US$333 (S$427) a month. They had more money to spend, which is a good thing, but the children fared no better than similar children who didn’t get the cash. They were no more likely to develop language skills or demonstrate cognitive development. They were no more likely to avoid behavioural problems or developmental delays.