Privatization, Private-Sector Development and Horizontal Inequalities in Post-Conflict Countries

Abstract

One of the most important strands of contemporary writing on liberal peace-building and post-conflict reconstruction has been a critique of the donor emphasis on rapid post-conflict market reforms.1 Even in non-conflict countries, privatization is one of the most politically controversial and technically problematic components of the market reform agenda, because (1) it is very difficult to reverse; (2) it often results in the loss of scarce formal sector jobs; and (3) the process is often accompanied by a lack of transparency and corruption (Adam et al. 1992; Campell-White and Bhatia 1998; Commander and Killick 1988). Such problems and their repercussions are compounded in post-conflict countries that are struggling to deepen institutions, preserve sociopolitical stability and overcome a legacy of conflict in fragile, deeply divided societies.KeywordsGross Domestic ProductBusiness OwnershipMarket ReformPeace ProcessPrivatization ProcessThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.