The elephant in the room: politics and the development problem (original) (raw)

This paper examines the dynamics of international aid and political economy in relation to development effectiveness within the context of governance challenges in developing countries. It critiques the liberal consensus surrounding donors' commitments to concepts like 'ownership' and 'partnership,' highlighting divergent interpretations that reflect tensions between commitment and control. The discussion emphasizes that while donors strive for influence, the actual control over development agendas is often more limited than perceived, influenced by the local political economy and recipient states' responses to aid dependency.