What is meant by developmentalism: what is its impact on global politics?

Developmentalism

Most global political agendas and concerns relate to development even if it is indirectly as these developing countries are so reliant on the policies and implications of decisions made on a global level. This essay will examine foreign aid in the current global political state. This is adapted from the question ‘What is meant by developmentalism: what is it’s impact on global politics?’. Throughout this essay I will consider other ways in which foreign aid could be more effective regarding issues including accountability and security.

Firstly, we must establish the current global state. State sovereignty has undergone many changes in the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Foreign Aid Conditionality

The IMF commands significant resources and wield considerable authority. Stone (2004, p589) points out “critics have argued that these international organizations are sufficiently autonomous to create a democratic deficit at the international level, as they pursue a vision of “undemocratic liberalism”. Other critics have argued that international organizations are “nothing more than instruments in the hands of powerful states” (Stone, 2004, p589).

Why has IMF lending achieved such poor results in Africa? Is it because the Fund imposes the wrong conditions, or because it fails to enforce them? Randall (2004, p577) states that “analysis of monthly data on 53 African countries from 1990 to 2000 shows that the IMF's loans-for-reform contract lacks credibility because donor countries intervene to prevent rigorous enforcement”. Furthermore, he quotes Easterly (2001) as stating “Africa has become paradigmatic for critics from both sides of the political spectrum who argue that IMF programs are harmful rather than beneficial” (Randall, 2004, p577).

So why to IMF programs seldom achieve their goals? Prior research by Vreeland (2003, cited in Randall, 2004, p577) finds that “participating in IMF programs reduces growth and redistributes income away from the poor”, concluding that the conditions of the IMF aid policies is to blame. In