Political decisions, economic effects : how international organizations govern the globalized economy

This dissertation consists of four essays on the decision-making and the effects of international organizations. Its empirical focus is on the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The dissertation shows that political interests influence the IMF's decision-making and that IMF programs have important economic effects on sovereign creditworthiness and income inequality. Chapter 1: Buying Votes and International Organizations: The Dirty-Work Hypothesis; Chapter 2: Room for Discretion: Biased Decision-Making in International Financial Institutions; Chapter 3: Stigma or Cushion? IMF Programs and Sovereign Creditworthiness; Chapter 4: The Economics of the Democratic Deficit: The Effect of IMF Programs on Inequality