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Developmental Pathways to Poverty Reduction pp 122–148Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Politics of Growth and Redistribution in a Democratic Context

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Part of the book series: Developmental Pathways to Poverty Reduction ((POD))

Abstract

Economic growth and redistribution have been central to the strategies of countries that have drastically reduced poverty. Especially when driven by sectors that provide employment to the poor, growth improves incomes and public revenues, and makes the pursuit of redistributive policies less burdensome on governments and taxpayers. Similarly, when redistributive policies are progressive or universal, they may improve the incomes and wellbeing of the poor and reduce social hierarchies and divisions.

This chapter is an adaptation of Chapter 11 (“Democracy and the Politics of Poverty Reduction”) of the UNRISD Report, Combating Poverty and Inequality: Structural Change, Social Policy and Politics. Geneva: UNRISD. 2010. I would like to thank the external reviewers of the draft chapters of the Poverty Report and UNRISD staff for their feedback on an earlier version of this chapter.

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  1. Yusuf Bangura
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone

    Yusuf Bangura (Senior Research Associate) (Senior Research Associate)

  2. United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, Switzerland

    Yusuf Bangura (Senior Research Associate) (Senior Research Associate)

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Bangura, Y. (2015). Politics of Growth and Redistribution in a Democratic Context. In: Bangura, Y. (eds) Developmental Pathways to Poverty Reduction. Developmental Pathways to Poverty Reduction. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137482549_6

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