New Frontiers of Social Policy: Institutional Pathways to Equity: Addressing Inequality Traps

Anthony J. Bebbington

ISBN 10: 0821370138 / ISBN 13: 9780821370131

Published by World Bank Publications, 2008

About this Item

Abnutzung / Risse - leicht; Vergilbt / ausgeblichen. Questions of equity and inequality are central to discussions on development and poverty reduction, highlighting that even rapidly growing countries can face rising inequality, which can hinder poverty alleviation. Recent findings from various United Nations and development agencies emphasize that equity not only holds intrinsic value but also positively influences growth and its poverty-reducing effects. These equity concerns intertwine with governance issues, as institutional arrangements impact both growth rates and their distributional effects, while also reflecting varying levels of equity in their structure and functioning. The emergence of these institutional arrangements over time, and their implications for growth and equity, remains less understood. This work explores the relationship between equity and development, the role of institutions in shaping these dynamics, and the conditions that enable or obstruct transitions to more equitable development. Originally commissioned for the World Development Report 2006, the chapters are authored by leading scholars across multiple disciplines. The book contributes to contemporary debates on inequality, poverty, and growth, emphasizing the significance of inequality, social mobilization, and state policies in fostering institutional change. The authors demonstrate that, under certain conditions, state institutions can effectively promote policies that address inequitable soc.

Seller Inventory # 4ae56363-20fe-402e-8585-2835e2cb597e

Bibliographic Details

• Title: New Frontiers of Social Policy: Institutional Pathways to Equity: Addressing Inequality Traps
• Publisher: World Bank Publications
• Publication Date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0821370138
• ISBN 13: 9780821370131
• Binding: Softcover
• Condition: Fine
• Seller catalogs:
  • Economics

About this title

Synopsis

Questions of equity and inequality have moved to the center of debates on development and poverty reduction. This reflects growing awareness that even countries with high rates of growth can experience stagnating or increasing inequality, and that inequality can itself limit the poverty reducing effects of growth. Indeed, recent work indicates that, in addition to its intrinsic value, equity should be valued for its positive impacts on growth and the poverty-reducing effects of such growth. These concerns are coupled with questions of governance. This is because institutional arrangements affect not only overall rates of growth but also the distributional effects of growth, and are themselves more or less equitable in their structure and functioning. How given institutional arrangements emerge over time, with their implications for growth and equity, remains less understood. 'Institutional Pathways to Equity: Addressing Inequality Traps' tackles the relationship between equity and development, the place of institutions in determining these relationships, and the conditions under which particular institutional arrangements can either block or promote transitions toward more equitable forms of development. The chapters, originally commissioned as background documents for the preparation of the World Development Report 2006, are prepared by leading scholars from the fields of economics, political science, sociology, geography, and development studies. The book speaks directly to current discussions on inequality, poverty, and growth and will contribute to the construction of a historically informed political economy of development. The book specifically highlights the importance of inequality, institutional change through social mobilization, and institutional change through state policies. The authors show that, under certain conditions, state institutions can and have taken a leading role in promoting policies to redress inequitable social relations and so weaken the social foundations of inequality traps.