Human Rights and Structural Adjustment

292 Pages·2008·1.18 MB·English

by  M. Rodwan Abouharb

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Human Rights and Structural Adjustment
“Structural adjustment” has been a central part of the development
strategyforthe“thirdworld.”LoansmadebytheWorldBankandthe
IMF have been conditional on developing countries pursuing rapid
economic liberalization programs as it was believed this would
strengthentheireconomiesinthelongrun.M.RodwanAbouharband
David Cingranelli argue that, conversely, structural adjustment
agreementsusuallycauseincreasedhardshipforthepoor,greatercivil
conflict,andmorerepressionofhumanrights,thereforeresultingina
lower rate of economic development. Greater exposure to structural
adjustment has increased the prevalence of anti government protests,
riots, and rebellion. It has led to less respect for economic and social
rights,physicalintegrityrights,andworkerrights,butmorerespectfor
democratic rights. Based on these findings, the authors recommend a
humanrights based approach toeconomic development.
m. rodwan abouharb isanAssistantProfessorofPoliticalScience
atLouisianaStateUniversity.Hisresearchexamineshumanrightsand
civil andinternational conflict.
david cingranelli is a Professor of Political Science at
Binghamton University, SUNY, co director of the CIRI Human
Rights Data Project, and former President of the Human Rights
Sectionof theAmerican Political Science Association.

Human Rights and Structural
Adjustment
M. Rodwan Abouharb
and
David Cingranelli
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo
Cambridge University Press
The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 8RU, UK
Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York
www.cambridge.org
Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521859332
© M. Rodwan Abouharb and David Cingranelli 2007
This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the
provision of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part
may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press.
First published in print format 2007
ISBN-13 978-0-511-46329-7 eBook (EBL)
ISBN-13 978-0-521-85933-2 hardback
Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy
of urls for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this publication,
and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain,
accurate or appropriate.
This book is dedicated to Margaret Elizabeth Barker
and Therese Cingranelli

Contents
List of figures page ix
List of tables x
Acknowledgments xiii
Part I: The argument 1
1 Structural adjustment programs undermine
human rights 3
2 Respect for human rights promotes
economic development 29
3 Theoretical linkages between structural
adjustment and repression 50
Part II: Estimating the human rights effects
of structural adjustment 79
4 Methods 81
5 Determinants of structural adjustment lending 105
Part III: Findings 133
6 Economic and social rights 135
7 Civil conflict: demonstrations, riots, and rebellion 150
8 Torture, murder, disappearance,
and political imprisonment 170
9 Worker rights 183
10 Democracy and civil liberties 203
vii
viii Contents
Part IV: Conclusion 225
11 A human rights-based approach
to economic development 227
Bibliography 240
Author index 268
Subject index 271