The IMF and the Future

by Bird; Graham

• ISBN13: 9780415406871
• ISBN10: 0415406870
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2003-02-28
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

The International Monetary Fund has been criticised from both the right and the left of the political spectrum with the right arguing that it is too interventionist and creates more problems than it solves and the left on occasion demanding that it be abolished altogether. What seems almost beyond question is that the IMF needs to be reformed. Defining a future role for the IMF will always be a controversial issue, but vital to any considerations will be a measured assessment of how it has operated in the past. This excellent new book from an internationally respected expert on the IMF intends to do just that. Starting with an historical background tracing the evolution of the IMF, the book goes on to cover such themes as: *The circumstances under which countries turn to the IMF *The various aspects of IMF conditionality *Institutional issues such as lending facilities and how the fund is resourced. Bringing together an array of articles, this excellent new book will undoubtedly be requiredreading for anyone with a serious interest in development studies as well as being an eye-opening read for policy makers involved with the IMF.

Table of Contents

A Case for Treatment: Understanding the Ongoing Debate about the IMF

Borrowing from the IMF: The Policy Implications of Recent Empirical Research

IMF Lending: How is it Affected by Economic, Political and Institutional Factors?

IMF Programmes: Do They Work? Can They Be Made to Work Better?

The Effectiveness of Conditionality and the Political Economy of Political Reform: Is it Simply a Matter of Political Will?

IMF Programmes: Is There a Conditionality Laffer Curve?

The Credibility and Signaling Effect of IMF Programmes

The IMF's Role in Mobilising International Capital: Is There a Catalytic Effect?

Restructuring the IMF's Lending Facilities

Resourcing the Fund: Direct Borrowing from Private Capital Markets

Crisis Averter, Crisis Lender, Crisis Manager: The IMF in Search of a Systemic Role

The IMF and Developing Countries: A Review of the Evidence and Policy Options

The Political Economy of the IMF: A Check List of the Issues

The Political Economy of the SDR: The Rise and Fall of an International Reserve Asset

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