Democratic accountability and international human development: regimes, institutions and resources

The centrality of the human development approach -- Traversing the known : potential determinants of public spending and performance -- Democratic accountability and public spending on human development : a theoretical construction -- What really drives human development spending and outcomes? : regression analysis, methods and data -- Why governments differ in spending on human development -- From increased democratic accountability to better human development outcomes -- Pakistan and India : of military ballads and popular ballots -- Botswana : a miracle of institutions -- Argentina : a tale told by taxation -- Conclusion : ending a story to begin another.

Scholars and policymakers have long known that there is a strong link between human development and spending on key areas such as education and health. However, many states still neglect these considerations in favour of competing priorities, such as expanding their armies. This book examines how states arrive at these decisions, analysing how democratic accountability influences public spending and impacts on human development.The book shows how the broader paradigm of democratic accountability - extending beyond political democracy to also include bureaucratic and judicial institutions as we