Aid and the ‘Circle of security’

Abstract

Aid has always been closely linked to wider geopolitical concerns. Donors, despite periodic attention to poverty alleviation, human rights or welfare, align development assistance with their wider self-interest concerning trade, security and investment. Security is not just associated with military concerns: sociopolitical security and legal market security are also important forming a wider ‘circle of security’ pursued through aid and diplomacy. In this chapter, we trace three major phases-or regimes-of international development assistance (neoliberalism, neostructuralism and retroliberalism) and examine the conception of policies intended to perpetuate the circle of security.