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Economic Development and the Effectiveness of Foreign Aid: A Historical Perspective

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  • Sebastian Edwards

Abstract

type="main"> In this paper I discuss the effectiveness of foreign aid from a historical perspective. I show that foreign aid is a relatively new concept in economics, and I emphasize the role of exchange rate policies in the foreign aid controversies of the 1970s through 1990s. I show that in the early 1980s there were major changes in views regarding aid and agriculture. I emphasize the role of “ownership” of aid programs by the recipient countries as a way of increasing effectiveness. I argue that there is little hope of making progress in these debates if the economics profession continues to rely, almost exclusively, on cross section regressions. In order to move forward, these analyses need to be supplemented by in depth case studies that follow a country's history for many decades.

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  • Sebastian Edwards, 2015. "Economic Development and the Effectiveness of Foreign Aid: A Historical Perspective," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 68(3), pages 277-316, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:kyklos:v:68:y:2015:i:3:p:277-316
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    3. Jun Wen & Umar Farooq & Suhaib Anagreh & Mosab I. Tabash, 2022. "Quality of governance and corporate real investment: Assessing the impact of foreign aid," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 74(4), pages 1115-1134, October.
    4. Huong, Tran Thi Lan & Ha, Le Thanh, 2023. "A comprehensive analysis of the correlation between foreign aid and energy security in emerging countries: Does institutional quality matter?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 952-968.
    5. Jean Baptiste Habyarimana & Vikas Kakkar, 2023. "Externally funded trade policy reforms and firm productivity: Evidence from a world database of reforms funded by foreign aid agencies," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 76(2), pages 196-222, May.
    6. Ziyoda Asatullaeva & Reza Fathollah Zadeh Aghdam & Nisar Ahmad & Laylo Tashpulatova, 2021. "The impact of foreign aid on economic development: A systematic literature review and content analysis of the top 50 most influential papers," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(4), pages 717-751, May.

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