This volume investigates whether financial compensation alone is sufficient to prevent the impoverishment of populations displaced by development projects. The authors, Michael M. Cernea and Hari Mohan Mathur, assemble a multidisciplinary team of sociologists, anthropologists, economists, and legal experts to challenge the prevailing reliance on simple cash compensation. They argue that current resettlement frameworks are fundamentally flawed and propose a shift toward integrated investment financing and benefit-sharing models to ensure the restoration of livelihoods.

Experts recognize this work as a critical intervention in development policy, frequently citing it for its rigorous challenge to standard resettlement practices. The text is considered a foundational resource for policymakers and scholars seeking to address the systemic failures of displacement management.