6.7.6.3  Helping Developing Countries to Improve Governance

(The latest version of this page is at Pattern Descriptions.  An archived copy of this page is held at https://www.patternsofpower.org/edition02/6763.htm)

As suggested by Thomas Pogge and others,[1] affluent countries could help to improve the governance in developing countries by behaving more responsibly in their dealings with them:

·      They could refuse to buy natural resources from countries where the proceeds would be used to prop up an oppressive regime.

·      They could refuse to lend money to dictators (bearing in mind that the population would end up repaying the loan).

·      They could refuse to allow their banks to accept embezzled funds.

·      They could prevent multinational companies from transferring profits to tax havens to avoid paying tax in developing countries.

·      They could remove the tariff barriers against imports of food (3.5.8.3).  This would require national politicians in wealthy countries to persuade their populations of the benefits of such a policy:

      People in wealthier countries would have cheaper food.

      It would be more beneficial for people in poorer countries than giving them aid.

These are all examples of economic regulations which could be introduced to help developing countries.  Coordinated political support would be needed in the affluent countries to implement these policies and make them successful.

© PatternsofPower.org, 2014                                                 



[1] Thomas Pogge pointed out these (and other) opportunities for responsible economic relations with developing countries, in an article entitled Unfair Share, which was published in the RSA Journal in Spring 2011 and was available in May 2014 at http://www.thersa.org/fellowship/journal/features/features/unfair-share

Larry Diamond had made the first two points, about not giving aid to bad regimes, in an article entitled End Foreign Aid As We Know It, which was published by Democracy Journal in Spring 2008 and was available in May 2014 at http://www.democracyjournal.org/pdf/8/Diamond.pdf.