Coalitions for Reforms Global Program

Webinar Recap: Perceptions, Contagion, and Civil Unrest

The Global Program on Coalitions for Reforms recently hosted a webinar on “Perceptions, Contagion, and Civil Unrest,” exploring why political perceptions often spark protests more than economic ones—especially in high-income countries. Drawing on new research and global data from Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, East Asia and the Pacific, Latin America, and MENA, the session examined how citizens’ views on political and economic conditions drive nonviolent uprisings and general strikes. The findings reveal that in high-income countries, negative political perceptions are a stronger catalyst for anti-government protests. In contrast, in developing economies, both political and economic perceptions play significant roles. The discussion also highlighted the phenomenon of international protest contagion, raising essential considerations for regional coordination and resilience.

We are pleased to announce the launch of the Social Contract Factsheets and accompanying dataset. These resources provide key indicators to characterize the social contracts of countries across all regions over the past 20 years. Developed using the methodology from the 2021 World Bank report, Social Contracts for Development: Bargaining, Contention, and Social Inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa, the factsheets offer valuable insights into the socio-political dynamics shaping policy and development outcomes. Social contract analysis is an increasingly important framework for the World Bank and its partners in understanding and advancing development. 

In 2020, the Government of Croatia recognized that its public sector wage system was overly complex, lacked transparency, and did not ensure fairness.