Poverty Reduction: What Role for the State in Today's Globalized Economy(International Studies in Poverty Research)

Poverty and social exclusion have moved up the international policy agenda, in step with the ever more obvious failure of development to reduce mass immiseration and the growing gulf of inequality which latterday capitalism has created. In this volume, local and international scholars, acknowledging that the 'trickle down' and 'natural' processes of the market do not provide a remedy, turn the spotlight on the state.

In a series of general explorations of the issues involved and specific investigations in particular countries, mainly in Southern and Central Africa, they explore theoretically and empirically the difficult questions around how much can be expected of the state in poverty reduction. What political and cultural dimensions of the state need to be taken into account when considering how it should help shape activity in society? How is the role of power best analysed when considering strategies to reduce poverty? What is the meaning of pro-poor governance? What can be expected of specific interventions by government? How is the concept of citizenship incorporated in poverty reduction programmes?

This volume makes two major contributions. It provides a rich seam of up-to-date information on the incidence and forms of poverty in Southern and Central Africa and the great variety of strategies and programmes by governments, aid agencies and international institutions to tackle it. Even more importantly, it throws light on the general questions, indeed the limitations and obstacles, around expecting too much of governments.

1. Introduction: Poverty, Power and the State - Francis Wilson, Nazneen Kanji and Einar Braathen
2. Conceptual and Philosophical Predispositions - Archie Mafeje
3. Democracies and Poverty: Links and Associations - Kenneth Good
4. Poverty and Citizenship: Moral Repertoires and Welfare Regimes - Hartley Dean
5. 'The Right to Have Rights': Poverty, Ethnicity, Multiculturalism and State Power - Camilo Perez-Bustillo
6. Poverty and Development in the Age of Globalization: The Role of Foreign Aid - Brigitte Schulz
7. Poverty Reduction and Policy Dialogue: The World Bank and the State in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi - Nazneen Kanji
8. Poverty Discourse and State Power: A case study of Morocco - Blandine Destremau
9. Trade Policy, Poverty and Inequality in Namibia - Dirk Hansohm, Klaus Schade and Arne Wiig
10. The State and Poverty Reduction Policies in Zimbabwe, 1980-1997 - Brian Raftopoulos
11. Poverty and Democratization: The Case of Botswana - Charity K. Kerapeletswe and Tsholofelo Moremi
12. Providing So Little for So Few: Botswana's Social Assistance Scheme - Arnon Bar-On
13. Towards Pro-Poor Governance? The Case of Mozambique - Einar Braathen and Alessandro Palmero
14. Meeting the Challenge? The Emerging Agenda for Poverty Reduction in Post-Apartheid South Africa - Julian May
15. The South African Women's Budget Initiative: What does it tell us about poverty alleviation? - Debbie Budlender
16. Redressing Urban Poverty in Post-Apartheid South Africa - Christian M. Rogerson
Index

Francis Wilson is a professor and director of the Southern African Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU) at the University of Cape Town.

Einar Braathen teaches at the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research.

Dr Nazneen Kanji is an independent consultant, as well as lecturing in social policy at the London School of Economics.

Francis Wilson is a professor and director of the Southern African Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU) at the University of Cape Town.

Einar Braathen teaches at the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research.

Dr Nazneen Kanji is an independent consultant, as well as lecturing in social policy at the London School of Economics.