Plan Colombia: illegal drugs, economic development and counterinsurgency - a political economy analysis of Colombia's failed war

Franz, Tobias

Abstract

This article examines the socioeconomic effects of the illegal drug industry on economic and social development in Colombia. It shows that illegal drugs have fostered violence and have had a negative effect on economic development. This article also shows that the Plan Colombia anti‐drug policy has been an ineffective strategy in terms of decreasing drug production, generating economic development and reducing violence. Since this study includes both a statistical analysis of the effects that violence and illegal drugs have on the economic growth of Colombia, along with an evaluation of the Plan Colombia policy programme, it fills the gap between existing empirical studies of the Colombian illegal drug industry and specific analyses of Plan Colombia.

Citation

Franz, T. (2016). Plan Colombia: illegal drugs, economic development and counterinsurgency - a political economy analysis of Colombia's failed war. Development Policy Review, 34(4), 563-591. https://doi.org/10.1111/dpr.12161

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 1, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Jun 9, 2016
• Publication Date: Jun 1, 2016
• Deposit Date: Oct 18, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 18, 2019
• Journal: Development Policy Review
• Print ISSN: 0950-6764
• Electronic ISSN: 1467-7679
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 34
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 563-591
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/dpr.12161
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/dpr.12161