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What is the Aggregate Economic Rate of Return to Foreign Aid?

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  • Channing Arndt
  • Sam Jones
  • Finn Tarp

Abstract

Does foreign aid promote aggregate economic growth? In contrast to widespread perceptions, academic studies of this question have been rapidly converging towards a positive answer. We employ a simulation approach to (i) validate the coherence of recent empirics and (ii) calculate plausible ranges for the rate of return to aid. Our results highlight the long-run nature of aid investments and indicate the return to aid falls in ranges commonly accepted for public investments. We find no basis for the view that aid has a pernicious effect on productivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Channing Arndt & Sam Jones & Finn Tarp, 2014. "What is the Aggregate Economic Rate of Return to Foreign Aid?," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2014-089, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2014-089
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economic assistance and foreign aid; Economic development; Simulation methods (Economics); Rate of return;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E1 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models

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