The conflict-growth nexus and the poverty of nations

Syed Murshed

Working Papers from United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs

Abstract: Lack of growth limits poverty reduction while poverty increases conflict risk. Institutional failure and other factors seem to cause both growth failure and civil war. The greed explanation for conflict is common in cross-country econometric investigation, despite its dubious role in directly causing civil war. The relationship between natural resource revenues and conflict onset works through other mechanisms, such as a weakening social contract and withering state capacity. The grievance explanation for contemporary civil war is supported by detailed case studies where horizontal inequality is important. Economic reconstruction following war should therefore be pro-poor and address horizontal inequalities engendering conflict.

Keywords: conflict; growth; institutions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C78 D72 D74 D83 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 18 pages
Date: 2007-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:une:wpaper:43

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