A government endeavouring to convince the public or sectoral interests that a certain trade reform will proceed smoothly may offer guarantees against disruption. Those who are to benefit must be able to rely on the benefits, which entails clear and comprehensible guidelines and speedy administration. Compensation must be generous, approximating the private costs imposed on those who are denied protection. The programme also needs to be seen as fair. The beneficiaries should include most of those who bear major losses and have considerable political power, including owners of capital. Provision of additional income support is one such measure.
Buying off pressure groups differs from straightforward compensation - at least in principle. It is a way of overcoming obstacles to change in an overtly political way. Even with this more limited objective, however, the record is discouraging. Far from softening resistance to change, this approach merely channels protest into pressure on governments about who should get the most compensation.