US & China Aid Compared
This study investigates whether foreign aid affects the perceived legitimacy of African states, comparing American and Chinese approaches.
Researchers theorize that different donor rules and principles influence state legitimacy differently across six countries. Liberia is analyzed via surveys, survey experiments, and behavioral games alongside Afrobarometer data from other nations.
Key Findings
- Little evidence suggests aid reduces state legitimacy perceptions * On the contrary, legitimacy appears largely unaffected or potentially slightly enhanced by both US and Chinese aid programs.
Why It Matters
Findings remain robust across multiple settings, levels of analysis, identification strategies, and measurement approaches. This signals that aid's micro-level impact on governance perception might be less problematic than previously thought.
