Analyzing Economic Market Interactions as Conflicts

New Concepts to Assess Market-Based Policy Instruments

Author(s): Simon Mason, Adrian Müller
Journal Title: Ecological Economics: The Transdisciplinary Journal of the International Society for Ecological Economics (ISEE)
Volume: 61
Issue: 1
Pages: 81-90
Publisher(s): Elsevier
Publication Year: 2004

This paper is motivated by the insight that real market situations are conflicts, therefore it complements market-based policy instruments with conflict analysis approaches. The authors argue that this provides a wider understanding of market situations and allows it to identify minimal requirements regarding needs, power, and conflict dynamics. If these are not met, a market cannot be successfully introduced or a liberalization process implemented. Moreover, the authors assume that conflict analysis offers a language better suited to the concerns of people negatively affected by new markets. Applying this language helps to counterbalance the general predominance of economic concepts. This fosters mutual understanding and enhances the prospect for successful implementation of market-based policy instruments.