Economic analysis of developing countries at war is relatively rare. These volumes trace the economic and social consequences of conflict both theoretically and through empirical investigations, including seven country case studies. Volume One provides a general framework for the analysis, examines the political economy of countries at war, and provides an empirical overview of the costs of war for poor countries. Political and sociological analysis is needed in order to understand motivations and behaviour during conflict; while economic analysis is necessary to evaluate how poor people are a ... More

Economic analysis of developing countries at war is relatively rare. These volumes trace the economic and social consequences of conflict both theoretically and through empirical investigations, including seven country case studies. Volume One provides a general framework for the analysis, examines the political economy of countries at war, and provides an empirical overview of the costs of war for poor countries. Political and sociological analysis is needed in order to understand motivations and behaviour during conflict; while economic analysis is necessary to evaluate how poor people are affected. The analysis includes an investigation of how the international system, including food aid, affects war economies, and identifies international as well as domestic policies which may reduce the human and economic costs of conflict. Between 1950 and 1990, around 15 million deaths were caused (directly or indirectly) by war in developing countries. From 1989 to 1995, between 34 and 51 armed conflicts were waged each year, the great majority in poor developing countries. These volumes investigate economic and social consequences at macro-, meso- and micro- levels, aiming to identify both the indirect and direct costs of military operations. The in-depth country case studies published in Volume Two (Afghanistan, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Uganda) are summarized in Volume One. These explore the main economic mechanisms operating during war and the policy responses of governments and international actors.