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Key Text The Politics of What Works in Reducing Chronic Poverty

Author: Sam Hickey
Date: 2006
Size: 55 pages (564KB)

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Summary

What forms of politics are most likely to reduce chronic poverty in developing countries? This working paper, published by the Chronic Poverty Research Centre, uses comparative case-study analysis to argue that a shift is needed in donor policy. Greater attention should be paid to political instead of civil society, to the link between political discourse and poverty analysis rather than simply to poverty data, and to the importance of political contracts in sustaining pro-poor policies.

There is a growing consensus on the forms of politics that lead to successful pro-poor policies, including the role of decentralisation and civil society, and the importance of evidence-based policies and opening up policy to poor people. However, this consensus bears little resemblance to the actual politics of what works in terms of implementing and sustaining policies for the poorest.

Comparative case-study analysis provides insight into the forms of politics underlying successful social protection policies, including pension schemes in India, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa, assistance programmes for vulnerable groups in Bangladesh and Mozambique, and mainstreaming social protection in national development plans in Uganda and Zambia. Poverty policy responds to a variety of institutional, structural and actor-led pressures. Key findings include:

Political context matters. Many pro-poor policy interventions were introduced during moments of crisis rather than periods of ‘politics of usual’.
Structural factors are key drivers of pro-poor policies, in particular, trends in capitalist development, urbanisation, state formation, and citizenship formation. Elections have also provided incentives for pro-poor policies but this is more likely where well-institutionalised, programmatic political parties are present. Civil society has played a more limited role than political society in promoting pro-poorest policies (unions aside).
Policy spaces do not emerge as defining features of pro-poor policies; most initiatives emerged from ‘closed’ policy spaces or ones where pro-poor advocates were claimed or invited into.
Poverty data plays a key role in the design and implementation of successful interventions. However, a more important role is played by poverty analysis, especially concerning the different understandings within policy circles of the categories and causes of poverty.
Political discourses and their trajectory over time have an impact on pro-poor policies. The shift in mainstream political discourses from welfarism to developmentalism (e.g. in Bangladesh, Mozambique, South Africa) risks distracting attention from the specific problems of chronically poor people.
The institutional location and inter-institutional arrangements for delivering pro-poorest policies are critical. The links between decentralisation and poverty reduction are highly contextual; donor enthusiasm for decentralisation therefore seems to be ideological rather than evidence-based.
Social contracts between the state and citizens are the most powerful political underpinning of pro-poor policies.

International policy agendas on poverty reduction need to pay more attention to the poorest strata among the poor and to promote the role of developmental states. Further research is needed but current evidence suggests that:

Policies and programmes can and perhaps should be designed to be politically as well as technically optimal. This may involve working with local patronage structures.
Focusing on political discourse facilitates understanding of the aims and attitudes of the political class, which helps to frame policy agendas to align with progressive elements of mainstream political discourse.
Targeted interventions may be more politically feasible than assumed, particularly when targeting includes some of the vulnerable ‘middle-poor’.
There are strong incentives to build ‘new’ policies on existing ones.

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Source: Hickey, S., 2006, 'The Politics of What Works in Reducing Chronic Poverty', Chronic Poverty Research Centre Working Paper 91, University of Manchester, Manchester
Organisation: Chronic Poverty Research Centre, http://www.chronicpoverty.org/