ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author examines the relative role of human rights and economic self-interest in shaping aid policy in an era of globalization. She develops an argument that human rights abuses in the recipient state will prompt aid reduction or cessation by donors only when the recipient is of little economic value to the donor, and when the government of the donor state is politically weak. In addition, measurements of economic value are constructed that specifically measure the recipient country’s trade potential. Respect for civil and political human rights is at the heart of democratic governance. International legal incentives to take human rights into account are supplemented in Britain by official Government rhetoric entailing a commitment to using human rights as criteria for aid disbursement. Several characteristics of British foreign policy have particular relevance for the aid allocation process. The Blair government has argued that human rights should have a more significant role in British foreign policy.
