BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

PARTICIPATORY DEVELOPMENT AND POLICING THE POOR: A STUDY OF NATIONAL POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROGRAMME IN SRI LANKA

Author: G.D.R.U.U. Abeyrathney

DOI Link: https://www.doi.org/BIISSj2008v29n3a2

ABSTRACT

The World Financial Institutions and Governments in less developed societies have co-opted the participatory development strategy practiced by civil society organizations in the context of economic globalization. Governments in the less developed Societies have started to establish beneficiary organizations and network them to implement public policies for poverty alleviation. The present study explores the political consequences of such embracement referring to the national poverty alleviation programme of Sri Lanka. The study has found that the policy remains top down despite its claim to be participatory in nature. It has invented new form of disciplining the poor or policing the poor by the poor, a new tool of political control. The labour of the poor is being exploited for the benefits of the well to do strata of the rural community.