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The political economy of food price policy: A synthesis

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  • Derrill D. Watson II

Abstract

This paper identifies eight political economy factors that influenced governments' policy choices during the most recent global food price crisis. To explain the variety of responses and the policy failures, a framework is proposed that locates policies along the twin dimensions of unitary vs. fragmented decision-making processes and social welfare maximizing vs. self-interested policy goals. Policies are favoured that maintain government legitimacy and produce private benefits for the best-connected stakeholders.

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  • Derrill D. Watson II, 2015. "The political economy of food price policy: A synthesis," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2015-117, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2015-117
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    12. Watson, Derrill D. II, 2015. "The Political Economy of Food Price Policy: A Synthesis," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 212714, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
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    1. Derrill D. Watson, 2017. "The political economy of food price policy during the global food price crisis of 2006-2008," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 9(3), pages 497-509, June.
    2. Watson, Derrill D. II, 2015. "The Political Economy of Food Price Policy: A Synthesis," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 212714, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    3. Watson, Derrill D. II, 2015. "The Political Economy of Food Price Policy: A Synthesis," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 212714, International Association of Agricultural Economists.

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