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Policies Towards Horizontal Inequalities

Author: Frances Stewart, Graham Brown, Arnim Langer
Date: 2008
Size: 25 pages (1.6 MB)

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Summary

What are the most effective strategies for reducing Horizontal Inequalities (HIs)? This book chapter assesses the range of policies that could alleviate the impact of political, cultural and socioeconomic HIs on conflict likelihood. While there may need to be trade-offs with other policy objectives, there is no evidence that reducing HIs needs to reduce growth.

HIs can have many adverse consequences, the most serious being mobilisation for violent conflict. The complex relationship between ‘objective’ HIs and conflict is mediated by factors such as perceptions of HIs and the political salience of group identities. HIs are more likely to lead to conflict where cultural differences are marked; it can be more difficult for the deprived group to overcome their disadvantage because of prejudice and discrimination. ‘Integrationist’ policies aim to reduce the salience of group boundaries.

Policies to address objective HIs may be direct or indirect. Direct approaches give entitlements to people based on their group affiliation. These tend to reduce integration and may entrench issues of difference. Indirect approaches aim to address HIs without specifying group affiliation. They are less likely to highlight ethnicity, and may contribute to integration.

Policies for reducing objective HIs do not displace other development policies but they may involve some trade-offs in policy objectives and some modifications in instruments. HI-correcting policies have been introduced extensively across multi-ethnic countries. However, they tend to focus on political inequality and be introduced in a piecemeal way. Policies that tackle both political and socioeconomic inequalities are relatively rare.

• Where socioeconomic policies are fragmented, they do not seem to have a big impact.
• Where policies are implemented systematically, across social and economic dimensions, such as in Northern Ireland and Malaysia, they can be effective in reducing HIs and sustaining peace.
• Policies for reducing HIs rarely form part of the international policy agenda. Donors do not include them in recommendations for development or post-conflict policy.
• HI reduction could contribute to poverty reduction and the Millennium Development Goals strategy. An HI approach could assist poverty reduction policies particularly where discrimination is at the root of poverty.
• Effective policies towards social exclusion would contribute to reducing HIs. A Human Rights approach to development can also contribute to reducing HIs.

Although the precise nature of appropriate policies will depend on context, especially local HI dynamics, some general policy conclusions can be drawn:

Policies towards reducing political inequalities

• Areas to be considered include the definition of citizenship, the design of the electoral system and rules of political competition, the composition of the executive and the way decisions are taken, the extent and nature of decentralisation and employment policies in the bureaucracy, police and army.
• Power sharing across groups at many levels of government is critically important and needs to be accepted. Direct approaches to power sharing are easiest, particularly in sharply divided societies, although there are many indirect mechanisms that can contribute. These should be monitored to ensure that they deliver a reduction in HIs.

Policies towards reducing socioeconomic inequalities

• Indirect policies are attractive in avoiding entrenchment of difference but they tend to be slow and partial in their impact.
• Substantial improvement can only be realised if there are economic as well as social policies to correct HIs.

Policies towards reducing cultural status inequalities

• State support for religious festivals, informal language-use practices and nonexclusive dress codes increase the recognition of different cultural groups without significant economic costs. Language education and plural legal systems involve trade-offs because of the costs involved.
• The media plays an important role in conferring a sense of belonging to particular groups. The state can set frameworks outlawing race-hate speech. It can also subsidise media outlets presenting inclusive group visions.

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Source: Stewart, F., Brown, G. K. and Langer, A., 2008, ‘Policies Towards Horizontal Inequalities’, in Stewart, F., (ed.), ‘Horizontal Inequalities and Conflict: Understanding Group Violence in Multiethnic Societies, Palgrave Macmillan
Organisation: Palgrave Macmillan Ltd, http://www.palgrave.com/