PHM-Exch> The Politics of Poverty: Elites, Citizens and States

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Ruggiero, Mrs. Ana Lucia (WDC) ruglucia at paho.org
Crosspsted from: EQUIDAD at listserv.paho.org


 *Putting Citizens at the Centre: Linking States and Societies for
Responsive Governance*


*A policy-maker’s guide to the research of the Development Research Centre
on Citizenship, Participation and Accountability*



Prepared for the Conference on ‘*The Politics of Poverty, Elites, Citizens
and States’*

Sponsored by the Department for International Development

June 21 – 23, 2010

Available online PDF [20p.] at: http://bit.ly/b6iYvL
http://www.research4development.info/PDF/Outputs/CentreOnCitizenship/Citizenship-DRC-Policy-Findings-Paper-2010.pdf



*The Politics of Poverty: Elites, Citizens and States*

*A Synthesis Paper

*

DFID Research and Evidence Division



Available online PDF [104p.] at: http://bit.ly/9Z5aSx



*Evidence shows that in order to deliver sustainable international
development we must be able to understand and work with its politics. *

Governance describes the way countries and societies manage their affairs
politically and the way power and authority are exercised. For the poorest
and most vulnerable, the difference that good, or particularly bad,
governance, makes to their lives is profound: the inability of government
institutions to prevent conflict, provide basic security, or basic services
can have life-or-death consequences; lack of opportunity can prevent
generations of poor families from lifting themselves out of poverty; and the
inability to grow economically and collect taxes can keep countries trapped
in a cycle of aid-dependency. Understanding governance, therefore, is
central to achieving development and ending conflict



The research argues that the *political settlement *is central to all
development; and one that does not exclude powerful players is more likely
to prevent conflict. But settlements also need to work at the grass roots
level, representing the interests of social groups. *Security is a
precondition for development; *this is a matter of survival and must be
prioritised in countries recovering from conflict. Evidence presented here
shows that in countries where cultural or ethnic groups feel there is
*economic,
political and social inequality, wars are more likely. *The future face of
insecurity is not restricted to civil wars – *more and more people are dying
in social violence, particularly in cities *[Chapters 2, 3 and 4].



The research looks at how governments can become more inclusive, and
therefore more stable. States that are accountable only to some groups or
that do

not regard some members of society as ‘citizens’ create inequalities that
can fuel conflict. When citizens actively participate in society through
local associations and movements outside the state, there are benefits to
both state and society* *[Chapters 5 and 6].


The poor, more than any other group, rely on basic *public services. *For
vulnerable families, *access to education and healthcare are important
routes out of poverty. *The politics matters: services work better for the
poor when poor citizens participate in reform of service delivery and the
research looks at how this can be most effectively achieved. In conflict
affected states the provision of services is very sensitive. Service
delivery targeting excluded groups can reduce political tensions and
improved security [Chapter 7].


*What Really Works? Lessons from 10 years of DFID-funded Research on
Governance and Fragile States*

Ten years of DFID-funded governance research has been brought into focus
through a new report 'The Politics of Poverty: Elites, Citizens and States'.

http://www.research4development.info/news.asp?articleID=50643
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