Assessing the links between inclusive processes and inclusive outcomes
Inclusion in terms of both process (how decisions are made and who is included in
that process and how and why) and outcomes (how wealth and prosperity are distributed
and shared across a population and why) is a leading priority in international development,
with the Sustainable Development Goals as perhaps the most ambitious articulation
of this. As the evidence overwhelmingly shows, over the long term, more open and inclusive
states and societies tend to be more prosperous, effective and resilient. And yet,
it is far less clear how countries that can be considered more inclusive in terms
of both process and outcome got to where they are. This paper explores the relationship
between inclusive governance and inclusive development, which is complex and non-linear.
Analysing existing research on the politics of development, it finds that there is
no automatic causal relationship between inclusion as process and inclusion as outcome
in either direction. The paper then highlights several factors that have been important
in fostering inclusive development through inclusive governance. By way of conclusion,
the paper draws out a few key implications for how international development actors
can support inclusion more effectively through more politically aware ways of thinking
and working.
Published on March 06, 2020
In series:OECD Development Co-operation Working Papersview more titles