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Do Foreign Aid Transfers Distort Incentives and Hurt Growth? Theory and Evidence from 75 Aid-recipient Countries

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  • George Economides
  • Sarantis Kalyvitis
  • Apostolis Philippopoulos

Abstract

In this paper, foreign aid transfers can distort individual incentives, and hence hurt growth, by encouraging rent-seeking as opposed to productive activities. We construct a model of a small growing open economy that distinguishes two effects from foreign transfers: (i) a direct positive effect, as higher transfers allow the financing of infrastructure; (ii) an indirect negative effect, as higher transfers induce rent-seeking competition on the part of self-interested individuals. In this framework, the growth impact of aid is examined jointly with the determination of rent-seeking behavior. We test the main predictions of the model for a cross-section of 75 aid-recipient countries between 1975 and 1995. There is evidence that aid has a direct positive effect on growth, which is however significantly mitigated by the adverse indirect effects of associated rent-seeking activities. This is especially the case in recipient countries with relatively large public sectors.

Suggested Citation

  • George Economides & Sarantis Kalyvitis & Apostolis Philippopoulos, 2004. "Do Foreign Aid Transfers Distort Incentives and Hurt Growth? Theory and Evidence from 75 Aid-recipient Countries," CESifo Working Paper Series 1156, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_1156
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    2. Tony Addison & George Mavrotas & Mark McGillivray, 2005. "Aid, Debt Relief and New Sources of Finance for Meeting the Millennium Development Goals," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2005-09, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    3. Larrú, José María, 2013. "The developmental contribution of the Offset Agreements: the case of Colombia," MPRA Paper 51456, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Cui, Xiaoyong & Gong, Liutang, 2008. "Foreign aid, domestic capital accumulation, and foreign borrowing," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 1269-1284, September.
    5. Marcelo Bianconi, 2011. "Transfer programs under alternative insurance schemes and liquidity constraints," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(2), pages 175-197.
    6. Lamothe, Herrissa D., 2010. "Re-conceptualizing the international aid structure: recipient donor interactions and the rudiments of a feedback mechanism," Financiamiento para el Desarrollo 5214, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).
    7. Michael Clemens & Steven Radelet & Rikhil Bhavnani, 2004. "Counting Chickens When They Hatch: The Short-term Effect of Aid on Growth," Working Papers 44, Center for Global Development.
    8. Claudia R. Williamson, 2008. "Foreign Aid and Human Development: The Impact of Foreign Aid to the Health Sector," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 75(1), pages 188-207, July.
    9. Konstantinos Angelopoulos & Apostolis Philippopoulos, 2005. "The Role of Government in Anti-Social Redistributive Activities," CESifo Working Paper Series 1427, CESifo.
    10. Raghbendra Jha, 2004. "Macroeconomic stabilization and pro-poor budgetary policy in the globalized economy," CAMA Working Papers 2004-08, Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
    11. Angeles, Luis & Neanidis, Kyriakos C., 2009. "Aid effectiveness: the role of the local elite," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 120-134, September.
    12. Mark McGillivray, 2005. "Réformer la formule : commentaires.Efficacité de l'aide et régimes de politiques économiques dans les pays receveurs," Revue d’économie du développement, De Boeck Université, vol. 13(2), pages 119-127.
    13. Maria Rosaria Carillo & Valentina Chiariello & Rita De Siano, 2016. "Women in Parliaments and Aid effectiveness in Sub-Saharan African countries," Discussion Papers 5_2016, CRISEI, University of Naples "Parthenope", Italy.

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