A Case Study Analysis of the International Monetary Fund’s Effect on Low-Income Residents of Eastern and Southern European Nations
Open Access
Author:
Finnicum, Nicholas
Area of Honors:
Finance
Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
James R. Tybout, Thesis Supervisor Brian Spangler Davis, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
IMF Low-Income Europe SERF International Monetary Fund Conditionality Fiscal Policy
Abstract:
This paper analyzes whether the International Monetary Fund actually harms lower-income residents of a nation receiving IMF balance of payment support. It uses a social and economics rights report card to assess the impact of IMF assistance in four Southern and Eastern European nations: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Romania, and Ukraine. The analysis focuses on the time period 2007 to 2017, largely characterized by the 2008 Financial Crisis and the related shocks following it. This analysis found that there is no evidence that restrictions influenced by the International Monetary Fund actually harm social metrics in supported nations in the short-term using a two-year lag implementation basis.
