Impacts of national economic reforms upon urban households in an African society

Abstract

Many Third-World nations have implemented structural reforms as conditions for receiving financial assistance from international banks. Whereas the effects of these reforms on national economic performance are carefully monitored, there often is a paucity of information about their direct impact upon citizens. Findings are reported here from an assessment of some social and economic effects of recent structural reforms in Zambia, Africa, upon upper-, middle-, and lower-status urban households. Persons at all socioeconomic levels perceived that the reforms had brought a deterioration in both the economy and their personal financial well-being. Poor families were especially hard hit by the increased costs of necessities, and most were experiencing difficulty in coping with their changed circumstances. The findings point up the importance of including socioeconomic impact assessment in national policy making.