This is the introductory chapter of the book 'Pro-poor Macroeconomics: Potential and Limitations', UNRISD's latest contribution to the study of poverty and inequality in the current context and part of Palgrave Macmillan's 'Social Policy in a Development Context Series'. The chapter provides an overview of the issue and both this introduction as well as all chapters of the book highlight the fact that macroeconomic policy is of crucial importance to the poor, and therefore it is a must for policy makers to consciously select policy frameworks that work to the advantage of the poor, and overcome the limitations of neoliberal macroeconomics.

February 22, 2006.