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New Forms of Power in ‘ Post ’-Neoliberal Development Policy: A case study of evolving World Bank lending practices in Argentina. Abilene Pitt PhD Candidate Department of International Relations, Politics and Sociology Oxford Brookes University abilene.pitt@brookes.ac.uk.
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New Forms of Power in ‘Post’-Neoliberal Development Policy: A case study of evolving World Bank lending practices in Argentina Abilene Pitt PhD Candidate Department of International Relations, Politics and Sociology Oxford Brookes University abilene.pitt@brookes.ac.uk
Argentina and the Bank • Case study as a way to see the results when pressure for reform comes from both sides. • Argentina post-crisis able to make new demands on the type of support received • Concurrently re-think at the World Bank on the concept of development
WB Development Policy Shifts • Washington consensus and the neo-liberal development focus • Structural adjustment – Comprehensive Development Framework • Lack of infrastructure to blame for failings • World Development Report 2000/1 – a self critical approach
A ‘post’-neoliberalism? • Post-neoliberal politics vs neoliberal ‘plus’ lending • IFI targeted welfare measures • Latin American critical break with Washington paradigms • Jasasuriya- social reforms not opposed to neoliberal policies, but as market enabling
Development Policy Shifts plus Post-neoliberal Politics • IMF default and repayment • Backlash against presence of IFI’s • Halt on all World Bank lending 2001-2003 • World Bank acknowledges image problem and takes steps to address it • Visible changes required
Investment Lending • Full replacement of structural adjustment • Partnership approach to lending • Diversifying the portfolio • Specific welfare provision • Re-branding?
Partnerships • More far-reaching than conditionalities • Present in every political strata in Argentina • Abrahamsen – development partnerships as advanced liberal rule • True ‘Partnerships’ between a borrower and lender?
Benefits • Government happy to receive technical assistance • Provinces happy to receive greater independent support • Re-branding as welfare investor successful • Key to cheap development loans for Government
Reform? • A better and more targeted form of conditionality • World Bank presence throughout Argentina through diverse projects (more difficult to remove) • Neo-liberal ‘plus’. Adding welfare measures similar to institution targeting in the 1990’s • Plugging the leaks of a flawed system?