Democracy and growth in divided societies: A health-inequality trap?

摘要: Despite a tremendous increase in financial resources, many countries are not on track to achieve the child and maternal mortality targets set out Millennium Development Goals 4 5. It is commonly argued that two main social factors - improved democratic governance aggregate income will ultimately lead progress reducing mortality. However, these alone may be insufficient settings where there high level of division. To test effects growth democratisation, their interaction with inequalities, we regressed data rates for 192 against internationally used indexes income, democracy, population inequality (including ethnic, linguistic, religious divisions) covering period 1970-2007. We found higher degree division, especially ethnic linguistic fractionalisation, was significantly associated greater rates. further that, even states, division lower overall access healthcare lesser expansion health system infrastructure. Perversely, while democratisation were reduced overall, regions levels fragmentation benefits rising undermined and, at reversed, so democracy adversely related These findings consistent literature suggesting degrees context can strengthen power dominant elite groups political decision-making, resulting welfare policies deprive minority (a health-inequality trap). Thus, show improving economic communities persistent inequality. reduce highly divided societies, it necessary only promote elections, but also empower disenfranchised communities.