Institute of Development Studies

Democracy's recent proliferation has given millions a political voice, while revealing the difficulties of holding elected governments accountable. This book analyzes the worldwide wave of experimentation with new means of holding powerful actors - public and private, national and transnational - accountable. It traces the multiple deprivations faced by poor people in developing countries back to failures in conventional accountability institutions. The authors argue that a 'new accountability agenda' is in the making and consider whether the reinvention of accountability can make democracy work for the poor.