Publication

This Background Note is an initial exploration of the political economy of adopting public works programs (PWPs) to promote social protection and employment in low-income countries (LICs) and fragile states. It examines how aspirations linked to household, local and national economic development, concerns about productivity and graduation out of poverty, and the desire to promote political stability can influence the selection of social protection instruments. The Note also discusses how this choice may be more closely linked to political economy concerns than to empirical evidence of program impact.