Guns, Books, or Doctors? Conflict and Public Spending in Haiti : Lessons from Cross-Country Evidence

Haiti's economic development has been held back by a history of civil conflict and violence. With donor assistance declining from its exceptional levels following the 2010 earthquake, and concessional financing growing scarce, Haiti must learn to live with tighter budget constraints. At the same time, the United Nations forces that have provided security in the past decade are scaling down. Against this backdrop, this paper explores the conditions under which public spending can minimize violent conflict, and draws possible lessons for Haiti. Drawing on an empirical analysis of 148 countries over the period 1960-2009, simulations for Haiti suggest that increases in military spending would be associated with a higher risk of conflict, an observation in line with Haiti's own history. Greater welfare expenditure (education, health, and social assistance), by contrast, would be associated with lower risk of conflict.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Singh, Raju Jan, Bodea, Cristina, Higashijima, Masaaki
Format:	Working Paper biblioteca
Language:	English en_US
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2016-05
Subjects:	SANITATION, LIVING STANDARDS, TERRORISM, ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, CIVIL CONFLICT, CIVIL LIBERTIES, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT, ECONOMIC GROWTH, MILITIAS, URBANIZATION, DEATHS, TOLERANCE, MILITARY PERSONNEL, MILITARY REGIMES, JUNTA, NATIONS, ADEQUATE EDUCATION, POLITICAL RIGHTS, LABOR FORCE, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, LEVEL OF POVERTY, INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT, PUBLIC SERVICES, HEALTH CARE, CONSTRAINTS, CIVIL UNREST, POLICY DISCUSSIONS, ETHNIC GROUP, SOLDIERS, MILITARY EXPENDITURE, LITERACY RATES, SOCIAL PROGRAMS, NATIONAL LEVEL, INDEPENDENCE, POPULATION SIZE, CONFLICT, INTERNATIONAL BANK, SAFETY NETS, REBELS, HEALTH SECTOR, FIREARMS, ARMED CONFLICT, INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS, MILITARY BUDGETS, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, DISPUTES, MILITARY SPENDING, EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, AIR FORCE, FOREIGN AID, BABY, REGIONAL CONFLICT, MATERIAL RESOURCES, DEMOCRACY, CITIZEN, YOUNG MALE, VIOLENCE, DEBT, WORLD DEVELOPMENT, TRUST, HOUSEHOLD INCOME, SECURITY FORCES, COERCION, SOCIAL SECURITY, SCHOOL STUDENTS, ARMED FORCES, PRIMARY SCHOOL, STATE UNIVERSITY, SOCIAL EXPENDITURES, RULE OF LAW, URBAN DWELLERS, EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES, POLITICAL SUPPORT, GRANTS, PROGRESS, GENOCIDE, UNEMPLOYMENT, ENERGY CONSUMPTION, HUMAN CAPITAL, EARTHQUAKE, ELECTIONS, IMF, OBSERVERS, POLICIES, YOUNG SOLDIERS, MILITARY, LOW-INCOME COUNTRY, POLICE, BASIC NEEDS, POLICY RESEARCH WORKING PAPER, PENSIONS, RAPES, REBEL, COLD WAR, URBAN CENTERS, PROVISION OF EDUCATION, INTERPERSONAL SKILLS, BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE, WORKSHOP, VICTIMS, POLITICAL OPPOSITION, ECONOMY, VIOLENT CONFLICT, NATION, POPULATIONS, BATTLE, POLICY, FIGHTING, INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, SOCIAL WELFARE, QUALITY OF LIFE, POPULOUS COUNTRIES, CITIZENS, BATTLES, SOCIAL POLICIES, INTERNATIONAL WAR, SOCIAL SECTORS, INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN RIGHTS, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, WARS, WAR, MILITARY FORCES, NATURAL RESOURCE, ARMY, RURAL AREAS, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, ARMS, LIMITED RESOURCES, NATIONALISM, YOUNG PEOPLE, SOCIAL COHESION, REHABILITATION, POPULATION, CONFLICTS, EXTERNAL DEBT, LAW, DEFENSE, UNIVERSITY, STUDENTS, URBAN SLUMS, POLICY RESEARCH, CIVIL WAR, AGREEMENT, POLITICAL PROCESS, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, PEACE RESEARCH, DEPENDENCE, PEACE PROCESS, REMITTANCES, CIVIL WARS, PUBLIC SERVICE, MILITARIZATION, SECONDARY EDUCATION, ADULT LITERACY, REVOLUTIONS, POLITICAL PARTICIPATION, SOCIAL MOBILITY, PEACE, POLITICAL INSTABILITY, RECONSTRUCTION, PEACEKEEPING, NAVY, ECONOMIES, DEVELOPMENT POLICY, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2016/05/26396742/guns-books-or-doctors-conflict-public-spending-haiti-lessons-cross-country-evidence http://hdl.handle.net/10986/24518
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!