Can you help shape our future priorities? Take a five minute survey now. Survey closes on 8 July.

Publication

Contesting Financial Inclusion

Published on 26 December 2017

This contribution critically assesses financial inclusion as an intervention in the development space. It examines the turn from microfinance to financial inclusion, with the introduction of new actors and practices; new ideas and ideologies; new theories of change; and new expectations toward clients. It then considers three key issues and contests the arguments made by proponents of financial inclusion about them: first, the argument that financial inclusion facilitates broader development outcomes; second, the claim that poor people gain poverty alleviation through financial inclusion; and third, the suggestion that financial inclusion is good business. In all three areas, the author highlights shortcomings in the evidence base and argues that high expectations of financial inclusion serving as a core pro‐poor, private‐sector led development intervention lack justification. Rather, financial inclusion should be recognized as a contested and contestable enterprise.

Cite this publication

Mader, P. (2018), Contesting Financial Inclusion. Development and Change, 49: 461-483. doi:10.1111/dech.12368

Authors

Philip Mader

Research Fellow

Publication details

published by
Development and Change
authors
Mader, Philip
doi
10.1111/dech.12368
language
English

Share

Related content

Working Paper

Fragmented Power, Access and Legitimacy: The Politics of Social Assistance in Yemen’s Conflict (2014–24)

BASIC Research Working Paper 38

30 June 2025

Working Paper

Reframing the Accountability of Social Assistance in Crises: Emerging Evidence and Promising Practices

BASIC Research Working Paper 39

18 June 2025

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.