Aid vs Trade

'Aid or trade' is a long-standing debate in economics, regarding the best way for a less-developed economy (LDE) to develop. But a combination of the two is not an uncommon model for such countries.

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Types of aid

  • Bilateral aid - aid between one government and another.
  • Multilateral aid - aid provided by many governments instead of just one government.
  • Tied / conditional aid - when one country donates money or resources to another (bilateral aid) but with conditions attached.
  • Charitable aid - funded by donations from the public through organisations such as Water Aid.
  • Non-financial aid - donation of items, such as malaria nets.
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Trade

  • Export-led growth and trade with other countries enable an LDE to be self-sufficient and reinvest the proceeds of such an approach.
  • But many LDEs are restricted by issues such as worsening terms of trade - meaning that their exports are continually falling in value relative to more high-end imports.
  • A lack of skilled labour and capital may also mean that LDEs don't have the resources to focus on a profitable export industry, making this strategy unrealistic.

Jump to other topics

1Microeconomics

2Macroeconomics

2.1The Level of Overall Economic Activity

2.2Aggregate Demand & Aggregate Supply

2.3Macroeconomic Objectives

2.4Economic Growth, Poverty & Inequality

2.5Fiscal Policy

2.6Monetary Policy

2.7Supply-Side Policies

3The Global Economy

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