ABSTRACT
The development strategies pursued by Cote d'Ivoire, Mexico, and Thailand in vary significantly in accordance with their respective economic opportunities and advantages and in keeping with their respective political arrangements. Despite the structural and political differences, at various times in recent economic history, each country has extracted a surplus from the rural economy to finance increased public services and rapid industrialization. In the idea of a direct link between the rate of environmental degradation and the level of foreign debt has gained some currency. Given that structural adjustment programs have been an important part of the institutionalized response to extended balance-of-payments problems typical of countries with debt problems, these policy-based lending programs are part of the equation linking debt to environmental degradation. Another thesis that has acquired currency, particularly within some elements of the international financial institutions, is that environmental degradation is a necessary side effect of development during early stages of economic growth.
