International Financial Institutions (IFIs) tie resource transfers to capital-scarce countries to improvements in their economic policies and institutions. The objective of this assistance is twofold: to augment the recipient's capital base and to improve its allocation of resources. This paper...

Theoretical voting models predict convergence of two parties' trade policy platforms. In contrast, real-world observations reveal substantial differences in the platforms of competing parties. This paper modifies the standard probabilistic voting model in a way that allows for divergence of...

This paper presents an analytical discussion of IMF conditionality based on the theory of special interest politics. We outline a simple political–economy model of special interest group politics, extended to include the interaction of the IMF with the government of a country making use of IMF...

With variable labor supply, a transfer's price responses depend on intercountry differences in propensities to consume commodities and leisure, as well as output effects of labor supply changes. This paper reveals a critical link between the transfer's terms of trade effect and the forces that...

This paper introduces an alternative to the lobbying literature's standard assumption that money buys policies. Our model - in which influence-seeking requires both money to buy access and managerial time to utilize access - offers three significant benefits. First, it counters criticism that...