The Collective Neglect of Southern Iraq: Missed Opportunities for Development and Good Governance

Abstract

One of the enduring puzzles of post-2003 Iraq is why southern Iraq, a relatively homogenous, wealthy, stable, and politically represented area suffers from poverty, unemployment, and a dire lack of services. In this paper, we conceptualize southern Iraq as an imagined region, whose identity has been shaped by the collective neglect it has suffered from both internal and external actors. We argue that its situation is partially explained by a lower developmental baseline in 2003, caused by the predatory policies of Saddam Hussein’s regime. In addition, the preoccupation of its Shia leaders with ruling a centralized Iraq post-2003, rather than investing in local leadership has contributed to the neglect. The continued reliance on oil–which predominantly comes from the south–contributes to citizens’ sense of plunder and exploitation. Finally, the south’s perceived closeness to Iran has dissuaded the international community and regional investors from engaging with the region, which has contributed to the perception of neglect.