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NGOs and the Political Empowerment of Poor People in Rural Bangladesh: Cultivating the Habits of Democracy?

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  • Kabeer, Naila
  • Mahmud, Simeen
  • Isaza Castro, Jairo G.

Abstract

Recent research in Bangladesh highlights an interesting paradox: impressive development outcomes combined with extremely poor quality of governance. The country’s active development NGO sector has been credited with some of the more positive development achievements. The question that this paper sets out to address is why the sector has not made an equivalent contribution on the governance front. It draws on primary survey data to explore the hypothesis that the problem lies in the increasing homogenization of NGOs around the delivery of services, primarily microfinance services, and its shift away from social mobilization organizations.

Suggested Citation

  • Kabeer, Naila & Mahmud, Simeen & Isaza Castro, Jairo G., 2012. "NGOs and the Political Empowerment of Poor People in Rural Bangladesh: Cultivating the Habits of Democracy?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(10), pages 2044-2062.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:40:y:2012:i:10:p:2044-2062
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2012.05.011
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gerard Clarke, 1998. "Non‐Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Politics in the Developing World," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 46(1), pages 36-52, March.
    2. repec:pri:rpdevs:morduch_microfinance_poor is not listed on IDEAS
    3. David Roodman & Jonathan Morduch, 2014. "The Impact of Microcredit on the Poor in Bangladesh: Revisiting the Evidence," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(4), pages 583-604, April.
    4. Richard Montgomery, 1996. "Disciplining or protecting the poor? Avoiding the social costs of peer pressure in micro-credit schemes," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 8(2), pages 289-305.
    5. Shahidur R. Khandker, 2005. "Microfinance and Poverty: Evidence Using Panel Data from Bangladesh," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 19(2), pages 263-286.
    6. World Bank, 2003. "Bangladesh - Development Policy Review : Impressive Achievements but Continuing Challenges," World Bank Publications - Reports 14669, The World Bank Group.
    7. Bratton, Michael, 1989. "The politics of government-NGO relations in Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 17(4), pages 569-587, April.
    8. Jonathan Morduch, 1998. "Does Microfinance Really Help the Poor? New Evidence from Flagship Programs in Bangladesh," Working Papers 198, Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Research Program in Development Studies..
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    Cited by:

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    2. Tanima, Farzana Aman & Brown, Judy & Wright, Jan & Mackie, Vera, 2023. "Taking critical dialogic accountability into the field: Engaging contestation around microfinance and women’s empowerment," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    3. Wahiduddin Mahmud, 2020. "Socio-Economic Progress with Poor Governance: How are Amartya Sen’s Thoughts Relevant for Contemporary Bangladesh?," Indian Journal of Human Development, , vol. 14(3), pages 359-371, December.
    4. Ahmed, Zahir Uddin & Hopper, Trevor & Wickramasinghe, Danture, 2023. "From Minnow to Mighty: A hegemonic analysis of social accountability in BRAC - the world’s largest development NGO," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    5. Banks, Nicola & Hulme, David & Edwards, Michael, 2015. "NGOs, States, and Donors Revisited: Still Too Close for Comfort?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 707-718.
    6. Mohamed, Toka S. & Elgammal, Mohammed M., 2023. "Credit risk in Islamic microfinance institutions: The role of women, groups, and rural borrowers," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    7. David Carment & Yiagadeesen Samy, 2017. "Exiting the fragility trap: Rethinking our approach to the world's most fragile states," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2017-181, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    8. Rachael Diprose, 2023. "Brokerage, power and gender equity: How empowerment‐focused civil society organisations bolster women's influence in rural Indonesia," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(3), pages 401-425, April.
    9. Torpey-Saboe, Nichole, 2015. "Does NGO Presence Decrease Government Spending? A Look at Municipal Spending on Social Services in Brazil," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 479-488.
    10. Jashim Uddin Ahmed & N. M. Ashikuzzaman & Aditi Sonia Mansur Mahmud, 2017. "Social innovation in education: BRAC boat schools in Bangladesh," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 7(1), pages 1-14, December.
    11. Lucy Scott, 2015. "Raising voice or giving assets? Reducing extreme poverty in an uncertain environment: A case study from Bangladesh," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series 21315, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    12. Jashim Uddin Ahmed & Wahida Shahan Tinne, 2017. "ASA: Cost-effective and Sustainable Microfinance Model NGO in Bangladesh," South Asian Journal of Business and Management Cases, , vol. 6(2), pages 167-175, December.

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