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Negotiating the social contract in urban Africa: Informal food traders in Ghanaian cities

Author

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  • Resnick, Danielle
  • Sivasubramanian, Bhavna
Abstract
How do cities build a social contract with their diverse constituencies and foster political trust among the urban poor? This study focuses on informal traders, who constitute a major source of food security and employment in urban Africa. Centered on Ghana’s three main cities, we analyze interviews with metropolitan policymakers and a survey of approximately 1,200 informal traders. The findings show that expectations about reciprocity and procedural justice play a key role in shaping the probability of trusting one’s local government. Lower levels of trust were associated with disappointment over the lack of benefits that accompany tax payments to local assemblies. Moreover, those who had experienced harassment by city authorities were less likely to trust their local government. The analysis demonstrates that political trust at the subnational level deserves greater empirical attention, especially as countries continue to deepen decentralization initiatives and cities strive to meet global development goals around inclusivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Resnick, Danielle & Sivasubramanian, Bhavna, 2020. "Negotiating the social contract in urban Africa: Informal food traders in Ghanaian cities," IFPRI discussion papers 1938, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    • Handle: RePEc:fpr:ifprid:1938
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    Cited by:

    1. Scheiterle, Lilli & Birner, Regina, 2021. "The Myth of the Market Queens: a Case Study of Women and Power in Ghanaian Markets," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315924, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    2. Mpofu Favourate Y Sebele, 2021. "Informal Sector Taxation and Enforcement in African Countries: How plausible and achievable are the motives behind? A Critical Literature Review," Open Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 4(1), pages 72-97, January.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    GHANA; WEST AFRICA; AFRICA SOUTH OF SAHARA; AFRICA; cities; urban areas; informal sector; urbanization; decentralization; governance; politics; agricultural trade; trade; political trust; informal economy; social contract;
    All these keywords.

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