State decision making at the international level is often decomposed and analyzed with the domestic pressures of the state in mind; this method of framing international actions certainly extends to include the foreign aid sector of a state’s foreign affairs and is often used to help explain the trends and behaviors a state’s aid giving assumes. Foreign aid—or in the context of this paper more specifically Official Developmental Assistance (ODA) as defined by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)—has long been a cornerstone of a developed nation’s international policy agenda but has been openly criticized as a modern form of colonialism despite the altruistic connotations giving possesses. As clouded as the motives industrialized nations have for giving to lesser developed countries, most scholars posit that ODA is never completely altruistic and is often offered with commercial, political, or security concerns in mind. I would like to further refine this claim by examining the degree of influence the present and predicted level of need for ODA by a potential recipient country and the affect historical giving trends and political inertia has on the selection and allocation process of ODA decision making. In this argument, “political inertia” refers to the experiences a state has in certain situations or regions where ODA has proven to have a positive effect on economic growth and stability or developmental indicators. By studying these relationships I hope to recognize patters which may help countries in need of ODA find and develop a successful relationship with a donor nation. I chose to use Spain and Australia’s aid profiles during the first decade of...
... middle of paper ...
...e Books. 2007. Web. 21 Feb. 2010. .
The Tied Aid ?Round Trip?. Rep. Oxfram International, 26 Jan. 2009. Web. 22 Feb. 2010. .
United States of America. The Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook: Australia. 4 Feb. 2010. Web. 21 Feb. 2010. .
United States of America. The Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook: Spain. 12 Feb. 2010. Web. 21 Feb. 2010. .
Vazquez, Sergio T. "Aiding Middle-income Countries? The Case of Spain." Oxford Development Studies 36.4 (2008): 410-38. EBSCO. Web. 20 Feb. 2008.