In the wake of World War II, development aid became an important staple in alleviating impacted areas through external economic assistance by supporting infrastructure, income distribution, and inequality, and has become a global channel for less developed countries in an attempt to secure sustained development through the possibility of external inflows of resources. A rather crude measure of global foreign aid net flow for 2020 is around $194.1bn (The World Bank, 2022), and yet there is no consensus on how to measure or conceptualise the impact of aid. One of the main branches of foreign aid literature that follow the contemporary debate on aid impact is Moseley’s (1987) “micro-macro paradox” which contradicts the effectiveness of foreign aid. In an attempt to provide further depth to the discussion, this analysis uses a nuanced neoclassical realist framework to explain the interactions between key domestic and international systemic incentives, and their influences on official development aid strategies, in combination with a quantitative regression model to evaluate Swedish foreign aid engagement in Georgia. In conclusion, the micro-results are encouraging and quite clear, and time lags are an important dimension in the aid-growth relation, however, in terms of the larger magnitude of analysis, more expansive data panels are to be recommended to define clear causal links between official development strategies and the impact of aid.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

This dissertation contributes to literature on postwar philanthropy and the Franco-American relationship. It examines the private voluntary relief organization, American Aid to France (AAF), which provided emergency supplies, rehabilitative services, and assisted in the reconstruction of France following the Second World War. Unlike other devastated European countries, Charles de Gaulle did not invite the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) to host a program, which limited France’s participation in the transnational relief movement of the immediate postwar period and allowed AAF to become the principal foreign private voluntary aid agency operating in Liberated France. From 1944 to 1956, AAF asserted that its assistance reflected the strength of the Franco-American alliance, and kinship felt between two countries with a shared history of liberal revolution and republicanism. AAF’s statements expressing “goodwill” and “historical friendship” towards France rapidly began to assume a more political tone as Cold War tensions intensified. From 1947 onward, AAF became increasingly outspoken in its support for capitalism, democracy, and international cooperation. These statements were crafted for, and appealed to, U.S. authorities who believed France was the key to containing communism in Europe. In reality, AAF’s main concern was redressing the destruction of Normandy caused by Allied bombing campaigns, and the organization showed no hesitation to work with mayors from across the political spectrum in devastated French communities to achieve this goal. AAF’s private voluntary status shielded the organization from French criticisms of Americanization chiefly aimed at the Marshall Plan. This dissertation demonstrates that AAF was part of an independent, robust private voluntary relief sphere that contributed to Europe’s recovery, and helped citizens in the United States and France come to terms with the transition from war to peace. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This dissertation contributes to literature on postwar philanthropy and Franco-American relations. It examines American Aid to France (AAF), one of hundreds of U.S. private voluntary relief organizations founded during the Second World War to help devastated civilians. Operating from 1944 to 1956, AAF’s efforts to provide emergency supplies, rehabilitative services, and assist in the reconstruction of Liberated France was a significant private affirmation of the Franco-American alliance during a period of increasingly tense international relations. Private voluntary relief organizations have been overlooked in scholarship in favour of larger agencies such as the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA), which has resulted in a considerable emphasis on transnationalism in the literature on postwar relief. Examining Franco-American relations through the prism of AAF’s relief reveals that a dynamic alternative network of private assistance, which operated firmly outside of the transnational relief movement, contributed in meaningful ways to France’s recovery.

Development on an international scale is important to fully grasp, as a globalized world means a combination of actors play a role. The discourse within international relations on development often discusses why, despite large and collective measures, very few nations see development through foreign aid. This thesis looks to understand how two actors—Sweden and the United States—effect the development of Haiti, a nation labeled by Euro-centric commentary as “the poorest nation in the west”. By conducting a Small N quantitative comparative research, understanding the foreign aid approaches by these two actors into Haiti is sought. Social constructivism, and the Lockean culture of analysis are applied to understand how the system of the world order affects these two actors’ foreign aid. The findings do not offer any conclusion as to how foreign aid affects development. However, it does apply insight into understanding why the actors behave the way they do, and how this is unsustainable in nature.

Indian population policy in the twentieth century was shaped by a blend of unique Indian concerns about population growth, legacies of British colonialism, and American foreign aid. This blend of influences resulted in the first national family planning program in the world. / Master of Arts

Foreign aid is a major flow of income into sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, averaging roughly 12% of GDP over the last four decades. Yet, SSA countries are characterized by very low per capita output, low human capital attainment, and widespread poverty. This dissertation investigates the macroeconomic and welfare effects of foreign aid to SSA countries. The empirical part of the dissertation studies 22 SSA countries, and uses a cointegrated vector autoregressive analysis (CVAR). This methodology identifies long-run effects without imposing strong statistical priors. I introduce tradable and non-tradable sectors into the analysis to determine if the so-called “Dutch Disease” is the reason for the plight of SSA countries. “Dutch Disease” occurs when a positive shock to foreign aid perversely reduces GDP, by decreasing the relative price of tradable to nontradable goods, thus reducing the size of the tradable sector. While I find that aid reduces GDP in eight countries, this result is inconsistent with the “Dutch Disease” as it is not accompanied by large relative price changes. The analysis controls for a number of country-specific characteristics including extraordinary events. Overall, I find non-positive impacts of foreign aid on GDP and the tradable sector, with a few exceptions. I also consider the reverse causal channel and test whether country-specific macroeconomic variables drive foreign aid flows. I find that GDP, tradable output, and tradable and non-tradable goods prices do affect the amount of aid a country receives in 15 countries. These variables have no impact on foreign aid (aid is considered as weakly exogenous) in six countries. The theoretical part of the dissertation develops two dynamic stochastic general equilibrium — real business cycle — (DSGE-RBC) models to analyze the effects of foreign aid on human capital investment and the business cycle. The distinguishing feature of the models is to embed a human capital investment in a small open economy model of Mendoza (1991). The first model considers one-sector DSGE model, which is followed by two-sector (tradable and non-tradable) DSGE model. Both models distinguish between physical and human capital investment and allow for labor-leisure choice. In the analysis, labor supply and time spent studying or acquiring skills are optimally chosen. The models are calibrated to match the key features of the Kenyan economy. In both models, a positive aid shock initially has a negative impact on labor supply and output. However, the shock subsequently has a positive effect on physical and human capital investment, and time spent studying. This is due to a positive income effect from the shock. A rise in foreign aid increases consumption; consumption smoothing across periods raises physical and human capital investment, labor productivity, and output. I also find that reducing the volatility of aid has a significant positive effect on human capital investment and welfare. Policymakers should focus on reducing the volatility of foreign aid and not solely concentrate on the average level of aid. The analysis of the two-sector DSGE-RBC model incorporates the role for the “Dutch Disease” mechanism. Consistent with the “Dutch Disease”, I find that a shock to foreign aid appreciates the relative price of non-tradable goods that causes the factors of production to reallocate from the tradable sector to the non-tradable sector, leading to a decline in GDP and the tradable output. Finding the “Dutch Disease” result here is not necessarily at odds with the CVAR estimation results as the DSGE-RBC simulation is a short-run analysis and the CVAR estimation is a long-run analysis. / Graduate

This study mainly argues the role that neoliberalism and neoclassical economics (mainstream economics) have had through foreign aid in Latin America and its effects over the years. The mere ideology of a market-centered society has been detrimental for many already. What this study aims to do is to portray that it has had the same effect on our environment as well. From poverty to environmental destruction, the neglect of social and environmental factors in our political socio-economic system has had its toll worldwide. The constant aim forgrowth and neoliberal approach in politics cannot be simply reversed by applying SDG’s political strategies.The definition of sustainable development has been vague enough already to rely on it as a fix. Ecological Economics on the other hand may imply a factual solution within aid and politics in Latin America and around the world, as it would be environmental and humanitarian-based. Some of the finding of this study include a comparison between ecological economics and neoclassical economics and practical applications for ecological economics within foreign aid.

Submitted by William Justo Figueiro (williamjf) on 2015-07-03T11:58:35Z No. of bitstreams: 1 23.pdf: 947947 bytes, checksum: 06d4c30cbfbb326f6b1a35c2c21b5583 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-03T11:58:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 23.pdf: 947947 bytes, checksum: 06d4c30cbfbb326f6b1a35c2c21b5583 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-06-27 / Nenhuma / Houve um aumento da riqueza e uma melhora na qualidade de vida das nações ao redor do mundo, notadamente desde o início do século XX. Neste contexto de crescimento econômico, percebe-se que nem todos os países cresceram da mesma maneira e que aproximadamente uma em cada seis pessoas vive em extrema pobreza atualmente. Uma alternativa para resolver este problema é a ajuda internacional e tem se estudado e debatido como ela pode acelerar o processo de crescimento econômico. Inúmeros fatores são mencionados na literatura como essenciais para este avanço. O presente trabalho debate os resultados de recentes estudos empíricos quanto aos impactos da ajuda internacional sobre o crescimento econômico dos países receptores. Assim, a partir da perspectiva das possibilidades de atuação para apressar o desenvolvimento econômico e abreviar a desigualdade de renda, este estudo avalia o crescimento econômico dos países menos desenvolvidos, sobretudo a pobreza, enfatizando o comportamento do continente africano. A seguir, são expostos os conceitos referentes à ajuda internacional para os países e sua evolução ao longo do tempo, buscando decompor os gêneros de assistência e suas finalidades. A revisão de literatura também contempla diferentes maneiras testadas na avaliação da eficácia da ajuda para os países favorecidos, identificando os métodos e indicadores que buscam elucidar a relação entre ajuda e crescimento. / Since the beginning of the XIXth century the world has been living in an era of economic prosperity and quality of life improvement. In this context of economic growth, there have been different kinds of growth among countries and there are about one in six people in the world that live in extreme poverty. One alternative that has been discussed to reduce poverty is foreign aid and how it can haste this process. The literature mentions several factors as essential to this progress. Thus, from the perspective of possibilities to accelerate economic development and shorten the income inequality, this paper aims to address the international aid as a motivator of progress. Initially, the study assesses the economic growth of less developed countries, especially the issue of poverty, emphasizing the behavior of the African continent. Then foreign aid is delimitated by actors, types and purposes. The literature review also addresses the different ways tested in evaluating the effectiveness of aid in recipient countries by identifying and selecting methods and indicators that explain the relationship between aid and growth.