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Pleasing the Principal: U.S. Influence in World Bank Policymaking

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  • Richard Clark
  • Lindsay R. Dolan

Abstract

How do policies in international organizations reflect the preferences of powerful institutional stakeholders? Using an underutilized data set on the conditions associated with World Bank loans, we find that borrower countries that vote with the United States at the United Nations are required to enact fewer domestic policy reforms, and on fewer and softer issue areas. Though U.S. preferences permeate World Bank decision making, we do not find evidence that borrower countries trade favors in exchange for active U.S. intervention on their behalf. Instead, we propose that U.S. influence operates indirectly when World Bank staff—consciously or unconsciously—design programs that are compatible with U.S. preferences. Our study provides novel evidence of World Bank conditionality and shows that politicized policies can result even from autonomous bureaucracies.

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  • Richard Clark & Lindsay R. Dolan, 2021. "Pleasing the Principal: U.S. Influence in World Bank Policymaking," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 65(1), pages 36-51, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:amposc:v:65:y:2021:i:1:p:36-51
    DOI: 10.1111/ajps.12531
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    10. Gazi Mahabubul Alam & Samsilah Roslan & Abul Quasem Al-Amin & Walter Leal Filho, 2021. "Does GATS’ Influence on Private University Sector’s Growth Ensure ESD or Develop City ‘Sustainability Crisis’—Policy Framework to Respond COP21," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-21, April.
    11. Heinzel, Mirko & Reinsberg, Bernhard, 2024. "Trust funds and the sub-national effectiveness of development aid: evidence from the World Bank," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 122593, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    12. Mirko Heinzel, 2023. "Vytautas Jankauskas and Steffen Eckhard. 2023. The Politics of Evaluation in International Organizations (Oxford: Oxford University Press)," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 18(4), pages 777-781, October.
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