'Structural adjustment' has been a central part of the development strategy for the 'third world'. Loans made by the World Bank and the IMF have been conditional on developing countries pursuing rapid economic liberalization programmes as it was believed this would strengthen their economies in the long run. M. Rodwan Abouharb and David Cingranelli argue that, conversely, structural adjustment agreements usually cause increased hardship for the poor, greater civil conflict, and more repression of human rights, therefore resulting in a lower rate of economic development. Greater exposure to structural adjustment has increased the prevalence of anti-government protests, riots and rebellion. It has led to less respect for economic and social rights, physical integrity rights, and worker rights, but more respect for democratic rights. Based on these findings, the authors recommend a human rights-based approach to economic development.
Les mer
Part I. The Argument: 1. Structural adjustment programs undermine human rights; 2. Respect for human rights promotes development; 3. Theory; Part II. Estimating the Human Rights Effects of Structural Adjustment: 4. Hypotheses and methods; 5. Selection; Part III. Findings: 6. Economic and social rights; 7. Civil conflict; 8. Torture, murder, disappearance and political imprisonment; 9. Worker rights; 10. Democracy; Part IV. Conclusion: 11. A rights-based approach to development.
Les mer
'Neoliberal economic policies and their imposition on developing countries by the IMF and the World Bank under the name of structural adjustment policies (SAPs) have long been targets of criticism by human rights advocates. Human Rights and Structural Adjustment not only brings together the rich theoretical arguments and empirical evidence but also provides comprehensive comparative analyses of the impact of SAPs on a variety of human rights. It speaks to all who are interested in human rights, democracy, development, poverty and political economy. As a corrective, it should be distributed to the executives of the two agencies and the US Treasury Department as a must reading.' Zehra F. Kabasakal Arat, Purchase College, State University of New York
Les mer
Critique of the effect of World Bank and IMF structural adjustment agreements on developing countries.

Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9780521859332
Publisert
2007-12-13
Utgiver
Vendor
Cambridge University Press
Vekt
600 gr
Høyde
229 mm
Bredde
152 mm
Dybde
21 mm
Aldersnivå
P, 06
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Antall sider
292

Om bidragsyterne

M. Rodwan Abouharb is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Louisiana State University. His research examines human rights and civil and international conflict. David Cingranelli is a Professor of Political Science at Binghamton University, SUNY, co-director of the CIRI Human Rights Data Project and former President of the Human Rights Section of the American Political Science Association.