Always Vote for Principle, Though You May Vote Alone: Explaining United States Political Support for Multilateral Development Loans. (August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Strand, Jonathan R.; Zappile, Tina M.
• Is Part Of: World development. Volume 72(2015)
• Page Start: 224
• Page End: 239
• Publication Date: 2015-08
• Subjects: multilateral development banks -- formal influence -- informal influence -- United States; Economic history -- 1990- -- Periodicals; Economic assistance -- Developing countries -- Periodicals; 330.9
• DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2015.02.013
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0305-750X

Abstract

Summary: What motivates the U.S. when casting votes and to what degree does its formal influence matter in final outcomes in multilateral development banks? We first assess the formal influence of the U.S. on final decisions and find that 64% of projects lacking U.S. support were nevertheless approved, suggesting U.S. influence is not as strong as previously thought. We then test several hypotheses explaining how the U.S. votes on projects in MDBs. We find recipient need is strongly related to U.S. support and some evidence for both economic and political factors, such as trade relations and human rights.