IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/revint/v20y2025i3d10.1007_s11558-024-09534-7.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A matter of trust: Public support for country ownership over aid

Author

Listed:
  • Kentaro Hirose

    (University of Niigata Prefecture)

  • Gabriella R. Montinola

    (University of California – Davis)

  • Matthew S. Winters

    (University of Illinois)

  • Masaru Kohno

    (Waseda University)

Abstract

International donors emphasize greater recipient-country ownership in the delivery of foreign assistance because it ostensibly promotes the efficient use of resources and strengthens recipient-country administrative capacity. The preferences of citizens in developing countries, however, are not well understood on this matter. Do they prefer that their own governments control foreign aid resources, or are there conditions under which they instead prefer that donors maintain control over how aid is implemented? We explore these questions through parallel survey experiments in Myanmar, Nepal, and Indonesia. Our experimental vignettes include two informational treatments: one about who implements aid (i.e., the donor or the recipient government) and the other about the trustworthiness of the foreign donor. The trust-in-donor treatment, on average, increases levels of support for aid in all three countries. In contrast, we observe heterogenous average treatment effects regarding aid control: control of aid by the donor rather than the government reduces levels of support in Indonesia and Myanmar, whereas it increases support levels in Nepal. We show how the cross-country variation in ATEs originates in consistent individual-level variation in reactions to aid control that is more shaped by respondents’ trust in their own government than their trust in the donor.

Suggested Citation

  • Kentaro Hirose & Gabriella R. Montinola & Matthew S. Winters & Masaru Kohno, 2025. "A matter of trust: Public support for country ownership over aid," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 575-603, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:revint:v:20:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s11558-024-09534-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s11558-024-09534-7
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11558-024-09534-7
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11558-024-09534-7?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michael G. Findley & Helen V. Milner & Daniel L. Nielson, 2017. "The choice among aid donors: The effects of multilateral vs. bilateral aid on recipient behavioral support," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 307-334, June.
    2. Joseph Wright, 2009. "How Foreign Aid Can Foster Democratization in Authoritarian Regimes," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 53(3), pages 552-571, July.
    3. Stephen Knack, 2014. "Building or Bypassing Recipient Country Systems: Are Donors Defying the Paris Declaration?," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(6), pages 839-854, June.
    4. Jakob Svensson, 2000. "Foreign aid and rent-seeking," Springer Books, in: Roger D. Congleton & Kai A. Konrad & Arye L. Hillman (ed.), 40 Years of Research on Rent Seeking 2, pages 165-189, Springer.
    5. Paul Clist & Alessia Isopi & Oliver Morrissey, 2012. "Selectivity on aid modality: Determinants of budget support from multilateral donors," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 7(3), pages 267-284, September.
    6. Jørgen Juel Andersen & Niels Johannesen & Bob Rijkers, 2022. "Elite Capture of Foreign Aid: Evidence from Offshore Bank Accounts," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 130(2), pages 388-425.
    7. Okada, Keisuke & Samreth, Sovannroeun, 2012. "The effect of foreign aid on corruption: A quantile regression approach," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 115(2), pages 240-243.
    8. Willem Buiter, 2007. "‘Country ownership’: a term whose time has gone," Development in Practice, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(4-5), pages 647-652.
    9. Knack, Stephen, 2013. "Aid and donor trust in recipient country systems," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 316-329.
    10. Tito Cordella & Giovanni Dell'Ariccia, 2007. "Budget Support Versus Project Aid: A Theoretical Appraisal," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 117(523), pages 1260-1279, October.
    11. Findley, Michael G. & Harris, Adam S. & Milner, Helen V. & Nielson, Daniel L., 2017. "Who Controls Foreign Aid? Elite versus Public Perceptions of Donor Influence in Aid-Dependent Uganda," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 71(4), pages 633-663, October.
    12. Egami, Naoki & Hartman, Erin, 2023. "Elements of External Validity: Framework, Design, and Analysis," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 117(3), pages 1070-1088, August.
    13. Bermeo, Sarah Blodgett, 2016. "Aid Is Not Oil: Donor Utility, Heterogeneous Aid, and the Aid-Democratization Relationship," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 70(1), pages 1-32, January.
    14. Dietrich, Simone, 2011. "The Politics of Public Health Aid: Why Corrupt Governments Have Incentives to Implement Aid Effectively," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 55-63, January.
    15. Helen V. Milner & Daniel L. Nielson & Michael G. Findley, 2016. "Citizen preferences and public goods: comparing preferences for foreign aid and government programs in Uganda," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 11(2), pages 219-245, June.
    16. Dafoe, Allan & Zhang, Baobao & Caughey, Devin, 2018. "Information Equivalence in Survey Experiments," Political Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 26(4), pages 399-416, October.
    17. Kydd, Andrew, 2000. "Trust, Reassurance, and Cooperation," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 54(2), pages 325-357, April.
    18. Hainmueller, Jens & Mummolo, Jonathan & Xu, Yiqing, 2019. "How Much Should We Trust Estimates from Multiplicative Interaction Models? Simple Tools to Improve Empirical Practice," Political Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 27(2), pages 163-192, April.
    19. Goldsmith, Benjamin E. & Horiuchi, Yusaku & Wood, Terence, 2014. "Doing Well by Doing Good: The Impact of Foreign Aid on Foreign Public Opinion," Quarterly Journal of Political Science, now publishers, vol. 9(1), pages 87-114, March.
    20. de Mesquita, Bruce Bueno & Smith, Alastair, 2009. "A Political Economy of Aid," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 63(2), pages 309-340, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Austin Strange, 2025. "Influence and support for foreign aid: Evidence from the United States and China," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 443-470, September.
    2. Brandon Cuesta & Lucy Martin & Helen V. Milner & Daniel L. Nielson, 2021. "Foreign aid, oil revenues, and political accountability: Evidence from six experiments in Ghana and Uganda," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 521-548, July.
    3. Kim, Sung Eun & Park, Jong Hee & Rhee, Inbok & Yang, Joonseok, 2025. "What do aid recipients want? Public attitudes toward foreign aid in developing countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    4. Reinsberg, Bernhard, 2015. "Foreign Aid Responses to Political Liberalization," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 46-61.
    5. Winters, Matthew S. & Martinez, Gina, 2015. "The Role of Governance in Determining Foreign Aid Flow Composition," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 516-531.
    6. Emmanuelle Auriol & Josepa Miquel-Florensa, 2019. "Taxing fragmented aid to improve aid efficiency," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 453-477, September.
    7. Lauren L. Ferry & Emilie M. Hafner-Burton & Christina J. Schneider, 2020. "Catch me if you care: International development organizations and national corruption," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 767-792, October.
    8. Dreher, Axel & Lang, Valentin & Reinsberg, Bernhard, 2024. "Aid effectiveness and donor motives," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    9. Iannantuoni, Alice, 2025. "Foreign aid volatility and institutional development," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    10. Osman S Kiratli, 2019. "Aiding together? Europeans’ attitudes on common aid policy," European Union Politics, , vol. 20(2), pages 261-281, June.
    11. Shekhar Aiyar & Manasa Patnam, 2025. "IMF Programs and Financial Flows to Offshore Centers," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 73(1), pages 239-266, March.
    12. Axel Dreher & Sarah Langlotz & Silvia Marchesi, 2017. "Information Transmission And Ownership Consolidation In Aid Programs," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 55(4), pages 1671-1688, October.
    13. Rudolph, Alexandra, 2017. "The concept of SDG-sensitive development cooperation: implications for OECD-DAC members," IDOS Discussion Papers 1/2017, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    14. Toke Aidt & Facundo Albornoz & Esther Hauk, 2019. "Foreign influence and domestic policy: a survey," CESifo Working Paper Series 7567, CESifo.
    15. Ravetti, Chiara & Sarr, Mare & Swanson, Tim, 2018. "Foreign aid and political instability in resource-rich countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 277-294.
    16. Eugen Dimant & Tim Krieger & Daniel Meierrieks, 2024. "Paying Them to Hate US: The Effect of US Military Aid on Anti-American Terrorism, 1968–2018," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 134(663), pages 2772-2802.
    17. Andreas Kern & Bernhard Reinsberg & Patrick E. Shea, 2024. "Why cronies don’t cry? IMF programs, Chinese lending, and leader survival," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 198(3), pages 269-295, March.
    18. Axel Dreher & Jingke Pan & Christina Schneider, 2025. "Foreign Aid and Targeted Political Violence," CESifo Working Paper Series 11970, CESifo.
    19. Toke S. Aidt & Facundo Albornoz & Esther Hauk, 2021. "Foreign Influence and Domestic Policy," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 59(2), pages 426-487, June.
    20. Christopher Boudreaux & Anand Jha & Monica Escaleras, 2021. "Weathering the Storm: How Foreign Aid and Institutions Affect Entrepreneurship Following Natural Disasters," Papers 2104.12008, arXiv.org.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:revint:v:20:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s11558-024-09534-7. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.