Normative Values and Political Economy of Development Aid

Given the significant changes to the development aid setting due to the rise of populism in donor countries and ascent of the Beijing Consensus institutions, in the last few years, this article brings to the fore the necessity to re-examine the inclusion normative values into the political economy of development aid, more potently. The discussion proceeds from a brief historical-political overview of development aid, leading to a discourse concerning the neoliberal economic discourse within a context of a shifting the aid agenda, away from the dominant Washington Consensus ideology. Subsequently, a theoretical discourse of political economy and development aid is provided, setting the scene for unpacking concepts concerning normative values of political economy in development aid. The discussion concludes with a juxtaposition of normative and positive values of political economy in development aid and the need for an incorporation of both into the political economy of development aid.