Political economy analysis

Examples of political economy analysis

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Examples of political economy analysis
Drivers of change country studies

Examples of political economy analysis

Utomi, P, Duncan, A and Williams, G., 2007, ‘Nigeria - The Political Economy of Reform - Strengthening Incentives for Economic Growth’, The Policy Practice, London
This paper discusses progress made in economic management reforms during the second Obasanjo administration, and uses political economy analysis to explain which areas of reform have progressed most rapidly, and which have stalled.
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World Bank, 2008, 'The Political Economy of Policy Reform: Issues and Implications for Policy Dialogue and Development Operations', World Bank, Washington D.C.
How can donors improve the effectiveness of policy reform processes? This study from the World Bank addresses the political economy of sector reform in agricultural marketing, and water supply and sanitation. It uses a social analysis perspective to analyse stakeholder interests, incentives, institutions, risks and opportunities. Development agencies should undertake timely political economy analysis and establish a sustainable process for building broad coalitions. They should also promote transformative institutional change that includes empowering forms of bottom-up accountability.
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Hodges, T. and Tibana, R., 2004, 'The Political Economy of the Budget Process in Mozambique', Oxford Policy Management, Oxford
This paper examines the nature of the budget process in a highly aid-dependent developing country with weak institutions. It examines how the almost complete absence of domestic demand for improvements in the budget is due to deeply rooted structural features in the Mozambican context.
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Keefer, P., 2007, ‘Political Economy’, Section 4 in: Ghana: Meeting the Challenge of Accelerated and Shared Growth, Country Economic Memorandum Ghana, Volume III: Background Papers, World Bank, Washington D.C.
This analysis describes the strength of political incentives in Ghana to pursue policies that benefit narrow groups in society (clientelist policies) at the expense of policies in the broad public interest.
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Further resources:

Case studies for Oxfam’s 2008 book ‘From Poverty to Power’ can be found on the book’s website.
Actionaid have pioneered a ‘critical webs of power’ approach to understanding how change happens through advocacy. Case studies of this approach are available on their website.