The North-South Politics of Necessity: Regulating for Basic Rights Between National and International Levels

This paper outlines the regulatory politics that characterise debates about providing basic necessities in the context of increasing global economic integration and a continuing policy emphasis on market-based systems of provision. These politics arise from a growing convergence between consumerism, markets and a right of access to basic goods and essential services. The paper provides a brief overview of contemporary policy issues relating to access to water, followed by a conceptual analysis of how these issues relate to regulation, markets and rights. The second half assesses empirical developments in the area, focusing on the political implications for relationships between developed and developing countries.