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Chapter Four Participation: the evidence

Abstract

Chapter Four presents evidence of participation from empirical work in Bangladesh. This chapter discusses in great detail how the idea of participation has been used as a glossy cover to justify a foreign framework. In doing so, this chapter first looks at the claim that there was ‘enough’ participation in the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) of Bangladesh. This is then followed up by the arguments made by critics who refute such a claim. It asks why participation from ‘all relevant stakeholders’ was needed and how it was exercised as a means for legitimisation. Afterwards, in the formulation of Bangladesh’s PRSP, this chapter explores whose participation did matter, whose participation was meant to be ensured and who pulled whose strings. This chapter also explains who was actually in control from behind the scene. It continues to ask whether the government(s) really wanted to ensure that voices and experiences from the poor were reflected in the national PRS or whether it was the donors who wanted there to be ‘some form of participation’ in the PRSP, and who determined which forms of participation would suffice (to accept or reject a PRSP).

Abstract

Chapter Four presents evidence of participation from empirical work in Bangladesh. This chapter discusses in great detail how the idea of participation has been used as a glossy cover to justify a foreign framework. In doing so, this chapter first looks at the claim that there was ‘enough’ participation in the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) of Bangladesh. This is then followed up by the arguments made by critics who refute such a claim. It asks why participation from ‘all relevant stakeholders’ was needed and how it was exercised as a means for legitimisation. Afterwards, in the formulation of Bangladesh’s PRSP, this chapter explores whose participation did matter, whose participation was meant to be ensured and who pulled whose strings. This chapter also explains who was actually in control from behind the scene. It continues to ask whether the government(s) really wanted to ensure that voices and experiences from the poor were reflected in the national PRS or whether it was the donors who wanted there to be ‘some form of participation’ in the PRSP, and who determined which forms of participation would suffice (to accept or reject a PRSP).

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. Contents iii
  3. List of tables and figures iv
  4. Acknowledgements v
  5. Introduction 1
  6. Participation in theory
  7. Participation: an iron hand in a velvet glove 25
  8. Poverty reduction: discourse or a commitment to change? 51
  9. Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers: another brick in the wall 81
  10. Participation in practice
  11. Participation: the evidence 113
  12. Is a comprador class being created? 143
  13. Think local, act local 167
  14. Conclusion 197
  15. References 215
  16. Index 243
Poverty Reduction Strategy in Bangladesh
This chapter is in the book Poverty Reduction Strategy in Bangladesh
https://doi.org/10.56687/9781447305705-007

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. Contents iii
  3. List of tables and figures iv
  4. Acknowledgements v
  5. Introduction 1
  6. Participation in theory
  7. Participation: an iron hand in a velvet glove 25
  8. Poverty reduction: discourse or a commitment to change? 51
  9. Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers: another brick in the wall 81
  10. Participation in practice
  11. Participation: the evidence 113
  12. Is a comprador class being created? 143
  13. Think local, act local 167
  14. Conclusion 197
  15. References 215
  16. Index 243
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