Introduction
Available literature demonstrates that, although foreign aid has continued to be used by Western donor nations and international lending institutions to support peacebuilding efforts in collapsed states and war-torn societies mostly found in the developing world, its distribution is to a large extent dependent on the prevailing conditions in recipient countries (Boyce, 2010).
In recent decades, scholars have established that countries in the midst of war may reap immensely from the availability of aid as an effective tool for facilitating the implementation of peace accords and the consolidation of peace.
However, it has also been found that aid can aggravate political and socioeconomic conditions in post-conflict societies, causing them to slide back to war, as witnessed in many African countries (Hansen & Borchgrevink, 2007; Hyndman, 2009). In view of this, the present paper aims to critically assess the effects of war and peace on foreign aid in the Dominican Republic.
Effects of Peace & War on Foreign Aid: Experience from the Dominican Republic
Ever since the assassination of autocratic leader Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina on the evening of 30 May 1961, the Dominican Republic has experienced prolonged instances of peace interspersed with short durations of relative instability (Hall, 2008).
In the 1990s, the country experienced periodic collective violence as progressive politicians, and the electorate attempted to instill democratic principles after years of autocratic leadership, though war scholars have to date failed to quantify these incidences as a full-scale civil war (Seelke, 2012). Nevertheless, these periodic instances of civil unrest followed by long durations of peace have had a profound effect on the country’s foreign aid regime.
During instances of civil unrest and peace, donors have attempted to link the foreign aid provided to the Dominican Republic to increased protection of human rights, the establishment of democratic ideals and institutions, cessation of atrocities, and peacebuilding (Hall, 2008; Taffet, 2007).
For example, aid conditionality was successfully used by Western donors in 1994 to remove the aging Balaguer from the presidency and pave the way for the country to adopt democratic ideals and develop democratic institutions (Seelke, 2012). Consequently, it can be argued that the linking of foreign aid to the mentioned outcomes have so far been beneficial in avoiding human rights violations and abuse of power by leaders during instances of civil unrest, while at the same time ensuring the country adopts democratic ideals and prudent fiscal and monetary measures during periods of relative peace. As a direct consequence, the Dominican Republic is one of the fastest-growing economies in Latin America, with a per capita gross domestic product of approximately $5,530 in 2011 (Seelke, 2012).
Peace and war have also had their fair share of negative impacts on the distribution of foreign aid in the Dominican Republic. It should be remembered that the United States (US) increased their proportion of foreign aid to the country for geopolitical reasons immediately after Rafael Trujillo overthrew the government in 1930; however, this aid ended up reinforcing an autocratic rule that ruthlessly suppressed all opposition to Trujillo’s regime (Hall, 2008; Taffet, 2007).
In relatively peaceful times, the inflow of foreign aid into the Dominican Republic has not only accentuated the bifurcation of the Dominican society and reinforced unaccountable elites but is also to blame for facilitating neocolonial orientations and the attendant disillusionment of people due to the breakdown of cultural values. This implies that, just like war, peace can also provide an enabling environment for Western nations to control developing countries through the distribution of aid (de Ree & Nillesen, 2009).
Leadership Actions in relieving Problems caused by Civil Unrest
Today, courtesy of foreign aid mostly coming from Western countries and international financiers, leaders in the Dominican Republic have embraced democratic ideals with the view to guaranteeing political inclusion and protection of human rights. Leaders are now more proactive and answerable to the electorate, implying that instances of abuse of power have been curtailed.
Through partnerships with foreign donors such as the US, political leaders in the country have also developed and implemented policy frameworks aimed at not only ensuring political, economic and social inclusion, but also reinforcing governance, enhancing the provision of social and health services, advancing competitiveness, and addressing citizen security (Seelke, 2012).
Additionally, the political leadership in the country has used foreign aid to “combat drug trafficking, implement CAFTA-DR, provide quality healthcare and education system, and protect the environment” (Seelke, 2012, p. 9). Cumulatively, these actions have expanded the democratic space and improved service delivery in the country, resulting in more satisfaction among the populace and less likelihood to engage in war.
Foreign Aid, Reduction of Poverty & Incidence of Warfare
Without a doubt, the extension of foreign aid from donor nations and international lending institutions has gone a long way in reducing poverty and stabilizing the country.
The relationship between foreign aid, poverty reduction, and incidence of war is a complex one, though well documented in the literature. While foreign aid has been largely associated with instances of poverty reduction or aggravation in developing countries, the incidence of warfare is seen as the main determinant of poverty and the ensuing economic ramifications in the post-conflict environment (Hansen & Borchgrevink, 2007). In this light, it can only be argued that foreign aid has the capacity to increase the chances of civil conflict in developing countries if the resources are not channeled properly amongst the population.
The situation is different in the Dominican Republic, as it has been demonstrated how foreign aid has been channeled to encourage the expansion of democratic space and improve service delivery. In the 1990s, for example, international donors used foreign aid to encourage the adoption of democracy and dismissal of autocratic leadership in the country, leading to a marked reduction in civil unrest as people enjoyed more democratic space and enhanced delivery of services by the government of the day (Hall, 2008; Taffet, 2007).
In the reduction of poverty, it is evident how foreign assistance has helped the Dominican Republic to achieve the status of a middle-income economy, not mentioning that the country has one of the fastest-growing economies in Latin America (Seelke, 2012). Consequently, it can only be argued that the country has made good use of its foreign aid allocation to alleviate poverty and consequently help to prevent instances of civil unrest from recurring.
Conclusion
This paper has illuminated the negative and positive effects that instances of peace and civil unrest have had on the distribution of foreign aid in the Dominican Republic, the specific actions taken by the country’s leadership in using foreign aid to relieve the problems caused by instances of civil unrest, as well as how foreign aid has been effectively used in the country to reduce poverty and incidences of civil unrest.
If well utilized, foreign aid can be an effective tool in ensuring peace as well as political and socio-economic development of third world counties. However, aid can be a recipe for a country’s disintegration in times of war or peace if it is wrongly used.
References
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de Ree, J., & Nillesen, E. (2009). Aiding violence or peace? The impact of foreign aid on risk of civil conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of Development Economics, 88(2), 301-313. Web.
Hall, M.R. (2008). The transition from dictatorship to democracy in the Dominican Republic. Journal of Third World Countries, 23(1), 13-16. Web.
Hansen, K.F., & Borchgrevink, A. (2007). Cutting aid to promote peace and democracy? Intentions and effectiveness of aid sanctions. The European Journal of Development Research, 18(4), 622-641. Web.
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Taffet, J. (2007). Foreign aid as foreign policy: The alliance of progress in Latin America. New York: NY: Taylor & Francis. Web.