Urban bias

Urban bias

Urban bias refers to the argument that economic development is hampered by groups who, by their central location in urban areas, are able to pressure governments to protect their interests.

Groups often said to have an 'urban bias' include labor unions, students, civil servants and manufacturers. These interests are portrayed as often not reflecting the comparative economic advantage of the country, usually a less-industrialized country whose comparative advantage is considered to be export agriculture.

Among the leading scholars to claim urban bias are Michael Lipton ["Why poor people stay poor: urban bias in world development" (Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1977)] and Robert H. Bates ["Markets and States in Tropical Africa" (Los Angeles: California UP, 1981)] .

The notion of urban bias is particularly popular among those who advocate neoliberal economic policies. Many World Bank publications [ [http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTRANETTRADE/Resources/WBI-Training/288464-1152217173757/Session7_WillMartin.pdf ] - recent WTO discussions on agriculture] use the notion of urban bias to support policies oriented toward export agriculture.

References


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