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Foreign Aid with Voracious Politics

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  • Alex Mourmouras
  • Peter Rangazas

Abstract

Fractious domestic politics are at the root of continued poverty in some developing countries and pose a dilemma for donors and international financial institutions. This paper examines the effects of foreign assistance in countries with plentiful investment opportunities when interest groups compete for unproductive government transfers. We assess conditional and unconditional assistance (project and program aid, loans, and grants). We find that project conditionality alone may fail to spur growth. Official development loans channeled to investment may not increase the recipient's growth and welfare even if interest groups are unable to appropriate aid funds directly. Conditions must tackle the domestic drivers of inefficient fiscal policies. To improve the composition of government expenditure, increase growth, and improve welfare, tax rates must be kept constant and loan repayment be financed by cuts in unproductive transfers. Official development grants are superior to loans of the same net present value if donors cannot enforce conditions on assistance.

Suggested Citation

  • Alex Mourmouras & Peter Rangazas, 2009. "Foreign Aid with Voracious Politics," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 56(4), pages 787-810, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:imfstp:v:56:y:2009:i:4:p:787-810
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    Cited by:

    1. Alexandros Mourmouras & Peter Rangazas, 2015. "International Lending And The Samaritan'S Dilemma," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 60(01), pages 1-22.
    2. Marek Litzman & Martin Machay, 2016. "Legal Regulations of Production Plans: Are They Unproductive?," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 64(6), pages 2039-2046.

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