The Role of Elites in Development

Growing up, from a very young age, I used to ask myself questions like: Why are certain countries backward? Why is Afghanistan not progressing despite the support provided? Why do development projects fail? Why are the most vulnerable communities not served despite many projects being channeled towards them? Why do leaders betray the general public? How do influential figures capture development projects? Why and how do influential figures engage in administrative corruption? How to make development efforts be successful? How to make development projects deliver to those who are in need the most?

Fortunately, getting my Micro Master of Leadership in International Development not only answered many of those questions, but also helped me understand what it takes to lead international development. That is why I feel the urge to share the knowledge and understanding I have gained in the form of bit-sized LinkedIn articles with my audience, friends and connections. This, I hope, would help us spread awareness and knowledge about such an important topic.

In this short analytical article, drawing upon lessons from a case study of security and justice challenges in unstable and conflict-affected environment, I am talking about the role of elites and influential figures in making or in breaking the case of development activities and projects. I have tried to summarize and critically analyze the ideas and perceptions of the authors regarding the role of elites in development. I have done this after thoroughly reading two papers and watching the interviews with the authors.

The current work was initially produced as my course assignment essay for the Online Micro Master’s Program of Leadership in International Development, Critical Development Perspectives Course, Business School, the University of Queensland, Australia. Then I have expanded a bit on the topic and added more of my personal perspective. The article introduces the topic and then summarizes the main contributions that Porter and Platteau make to understanding how helpful or detrimental the role of elites can be in development and, ultimately, what needs to be done to address such a phenomenon. The article critically analyzes the ideas presented and gives implications for its practice in the field of international development. Feel free to share your thoughts and/or leave your comments and suggestions for future article.

What are we talking about?

Influential figures and elites have for long played an important role in a country’s development. In the discourse of international development, discussing the role of elites in development is very crucial as they could be the main actors who drive change and help development agencies in scaling up their impact. In the meantime, however, they could turn out as barriers to development and make all efforts go in vain because elites resist any kind of development that is not in line with their interests. In the papers analyzed in for this essay, Porter and Platteau provide valuable insights on the role of elites in development related to both cases mentioned.       

In their paper, Bain, Porter, and Watts share their observations and lessons learned from a three-year project that attempted to enhance development strategies for dealing with security and justice challenges in unstable and conflict-affected environments. Porter and his colleagues’ (2015) paper presents a case study of institutional transformation in the Nigerian state of Edo in order to evaluate the elements that made reform efforts successful and to pinpoint the major difficulties and barriers to effective development.

Who are elites and why are they important in development?

In political sociology, the term "elite" (French: élite, from Latin: eligere, to choose or separate) refers to a small number of influential individuals who possess a disproportionate amount of wealth, privilege, political influence, or competence within a group. The elites have the ability to bring about the changes that are required, but they also have the authority to stop change altogether, allowing corruption, civil unrest, or any other obstacle to a nation's progress to persist.

According to Porter and his colleagues (2012), elites have a significant impact on how development turns out. Elites are seen by the writers as key players who can facilitate or hinder institutional reform. They presume that elites are rational, self-interested actors who will only support reform initiatives if they believe doing so will be in their best interests. The dynamics of political agreements between economic and political elites affect the state's capacity for implementation, and for effective development results, collaborating with local elites is very significance (Porter et al., 2015). In the case of Edo State, the governor's leadership abilities, the support of significant allies and stakeholders, and his capacity to negotiate complicated power dynamics and elite interests through strategic "positioning and pacting," according to the authors, all contributed to the achievement of development measures (Porter et al., 2015).  Elite positioning and pacting were especially important for controlling potential opponents and gaining support for reform because institutional reform can be carried out more successfully if the local elites are given a sense of legitimacy and trust through engaging with them (Porter et al., 2015).

The authors analyze the actions and decisions of a governor in the case study. The authors admit that Governor Oshiomhole's actions occasionally disregarded "best practice principles," yet institutional reform was nonetheless successfully accomplished (Porter et al, 2015).  Depending on the viewpoint, one may or may not find this to be problematic. Others may believe that context-specific solutions are required and that best practices should be modified to local conditions, while some may claim that neglecting best practices could have unexpected repercussions or compromise the credibility of the reform attempt. Overall, the article emphasizes the necessity of context-specific solutions that consider the political economy of reform as well as the significance of understanding how elites shape institutional change.

In order to create effective development strategies that can overcome elite resistance and encourage inclusive growth, the authors stress the significance of understanding the incentives and interests of different elite groups. Porter also points out that over time, the relationship between elites and development has evolved. In contrast to earlier techniques, which frequently aimed to shield development programmes from political elites, more modern approaches emphasise the significance of interacting with elites and creating coalitions for change. He does, however, issue a warning that this strategy necessitates a subtle comprehension of the motivations and objectives of various elite groupings as well as the capacity to negotiate challenging political and power relations. In general, the study offers insights into the difficulties and potentials of development in dynamic and complex environments, and it emphasises the significance of context-specific development strategies and adaptive leadership. They also highlight the need for development practitioners to understand the political economy of development and the incentives and interests of different elite groups.

How does elite capture break the case for development?

Elite capture is a type of corruption in which the welfare of the greater population is negatively impacted by the biased use of public resources for the advantage of a small number of people with higher social standing. The paper "Monitoring Elite Capture in Community-Driven Development" by Platteau (2004), explores the role of elites in development, particularly related to community-driven development (CDD) initiatives. Like Porter, Platteau states that elites can influence development initiatives significantly, either by supporting or opposing them, and that their motivations and interests may not always line up with those of the intended beneficiaries. Traditional elites and modern elites are the two categories of elites that Platteau distinguishes as being pertinent to CDD projects. According to him, both types of elites have the ability to exploit their position of authority and influence to gain benefits from development interventions, either through decision-making control or by allocating resources to themselves or their associates. Because it might undermine the initial goal of enabling poor and disadvantaged populations to participate in development and improve their quality of life, he argues that elite capture is a key barrier for CDD efforts. By excluding particular groups like minorities or women, elite capture has the potential to exacerbate already-existing inequities and power imbalances. The effectiveness and sustainability of development efforts can be harmed by elite capture, which may also result in conflict, resentment, or disengagement among the intended beneficiaries of development interventions.

What can be done to address all this?

Platteau emphasizes the importance of creating outside opportunities for marginalized groups, such as women and low-caste people, to give them new opportunities for income and skill acquisition. He argues that this approach can help individuals move out of their traditional domains and become more daring in confronting exploitative power structures. However, Platteau cautions that it is not enough to simply convince people to confront these structures without providing them with fallback options. implemented to account for the specific needs and circumstances of the communities they aim to serve. According to Platteau (2004) a monitoring framework on projects that entails identifying potential risks of elite capture, putting in place workable safeguards, and monitoring project implementation and outcomes. The framework places a strong emphasis on the necessity of addressing the underlying power dynamics and societal norms that may facilitate elite capture as well as the significance of openness, accountability, and community involvement in the decision-making process. Overall, Platteau's study emphasizes the complicated and multidimensional role of elites in development as well as the necessity of addressing elite capture as a significant obstacle for CDD efforts.

Moreover, Platteau (2004) discusses the role of information in community-level interventions, highlighting the significance of making sure that the general public is informed about the terms and procedures of external interventions so that they can respond if local authorities do not adhere to them as intended. He makes the point that communities might not be the best place to deal with complex technical issues and that centralized expertise might be required. In terms of state building, Platteau (2004) emphasizes the significance of understanding the role of traditional elites and the necessity of forging agreements with them as opposed to ignoring them in a top-down implementation structure. Overall, Platteau's observations imply that development interventions must be meticulously planned and carried out to take into consideration the unique requirements and circumstances of the communities they want to serve.

Conclusion

To put it in perspective, both papers show how important the role of elites is in development, having the power to make or break the case for development initiatives or projects. Porter’s study offers insights into the difficulties and potential of development in dynamic and complex environments, and it emphasises the significance of context-specific development strategies and adaptive leadership. It also highlights the need for development practitioners to understand the political economy of development and the incentives and interests of different elite groups. Nevertheless, the observations in Platteau’s paper imply that development interventions must be meticulously planned and carried out to take into consideration the unique requirements and circumstances of the communities they want to serve. It also emphasizes the complicated and multidimensional role of elites in development as well as the necessity of addressing elite capture as a significant obstacle for CDD efforts. Finally, both papers help readers understand the two different and critical roles elites play in development, and how complex and at the same time vital these roles are. Having read these papers, a development practitioner can better understand the implications in practice and can design more effective, outcome-based development interventions. I highly recommend these two papers for any development practitioner or anyone working in development sector and providing for the community.

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References:

1. Platteau, J. (2004). Monitoring elite capture in community-driven development. Development and change, 35(2) 223-246. Available at:  https://pure.unamur.be/ws/portalfiles/portal/26345015/Open_Access_Version_Monitering_Elite_Capture.pdf 

2. Bain, K., Porter, D., & Watts, M. (2015). Institutional change, political economy, and state capabilities: Learning from Edo State, Nigeria. Working Paper. The World Bank. Available at: http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/592721468191346965/pdf/97600-REPLACEMENT-FILE-Nigeria-Working-Paper-2015-Online.pdf