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External Debt and Economic Reform: Does a Pain Reliever Delay the Necessary Treatment?

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  • Mr. Athanasios Vamvakidis

Abstract

Recent literature argues that conflict in shifting adjustment costs between different socioeconomic groups delays necessary reforms and finds that such reforms often follow economic crises. This paper expands these models by including external borrowing by the private sector and shows that this may lead to a further delay in economic reform. Empirical evidence based on a large panel of developing and emerging economies supports this argument and shows that the result is slower economic growth. External financing sometimes acts like a "pain reliever," postponing the much needed "treatment" of a "sick" economy by reform.

Suggested Citation

  • Mr. Athanasios Vamvakidis, 2007. "External Debt and Economic Reform: Does a Pain Reliever Delay the Necessary Treatment?," IMF Working Papers 2007/050, International Monetary Fund.
    • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2007/050
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Edo, Samson & Osadolor, Nneka Esther & Dading, Isuwa Festus, 2020. "Growing external debt and declining export: The concurrent impediments in economic growth of Sub-Saharan African countries," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 173-187.
    2. Wang, Ruohan & Xue, Yi & Zheng, Wenping, 2021. "Does high external debt predict lower economic growth? Role of sovereign spreads and institutional quality," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    3. Vamvakidis, Athanasios, 2009. "Is there a "reform fatigue" in the euro area?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 767-777, July.
    4. Solé-Ollé, Albert & Viladecans-Marsal, Elisabet, 2017. "Housing booms and busts and local fiscal policy," ZEW Discussion Papers 17-001, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    5. Jesús Fernández-Villaverde & Luis Garicano & Tano Santos, 2013. "Political Credit Cycles: The Case of the Eurozone," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 27(3), pages 145-166, Summer.
    6. Piotr Ciżkowicz & Andrzej Rzońca & Rafał Trzeciakowski, 2015. "Windfall of Low Interest Payments and Fiscal Sustainability in the Euro Area: Analysis through Panel Fiscal Reaction Functions," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 68(4), pages 475-510, November.
    7. Muhanji, Stella & Ojah, Kalu, 2016. "Governance infrastructure and indebtedness of African countries: Do regional blocs matter?," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 123-153.
    8. Bélyácz, Iván & Kuti, Mónika, 2009. "Külföldi működőtőke és külső eladósodás. Kísérlet a makrogazdasági tőkestruktúra új szempontú vizsgálatára [Foreign operating capital and foreign indebtedness. An attempt to examine macroeconomic c," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(2), pages 133-154.
    9. Malte Rieth & Lisa Gehrt, 2016. "What Causes the Delay in Reforms in Europe?," DIW Roundup: Politik im Fokus 99, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.

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