Editing Dependency theory (section)

=== Political dependency ===
Political dependency occurs when donors have too much influence in the governance of the receiving country. Many donors maintain a strong say in the government due to the country's reliance on their money, causing a decrease in the effectiveness and democratic-quality of the government.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Knack|first=Stephen|date=October 2001|title=Aid Dependence and the Quality of Governance: Cross-Country Empirical Tests|journal=Southern Economic Journal|volume=68|issue=2|pages=310–329|doi=10.2307/1061596|issn=0038-4038|jstor=1061596}}</ref> This results in the receiving country's government making policy that the donor agrees with and supports rather than what the people of the country desire. Government corruptibility increases as a result and inhibits reform of the government and political process in the country.<ref name=CMI>{{Cite journal|editor-first=Marie-José|editor-last=Wijntjes|title=Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI)|doi=10.1163/1872-9037_afco_asc_1595|journal=African Studies Companion Online}}</ref> These donors can include other countries or organizations with underlying intentions that may not be in favor of the people. Political dependency is an even stronger negative effect of aid dependency in countries where many of the problems stem from already corrupt politics and a lack of civil rights.<ref name="Moss102139">{{Cite journal|last1=Moss|first1=Todd J.|last2=Pettersson|first2=Gunilla|last3=van de Walle|first3=Nicolas|date=2006|title=An Aid-Institutions Paradox? A Review Essay on Aid Dependency and State Building in Sub-Saharan Africa|journal=SSRN Working Paper Series|doi=10.2139/ssrn.860826|issn=1556-5068|hdl=1813/55015|s2cid=153959555|hdl-access=free}}</ref> For example, [[Zimbabwe]] and the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]] both have extremely high aid dependency ratios and have experienced political turmoil. The [[politics of the Democratic Republic of the Congo]] have involved civil war and changing of regimes in the 21st century and have one of the highest aid dependency ratios in Africa.

As aid dependence can shift accountability away from the public and to being between state and donors, “presidentialism” can arise. Presidentialism is when the president and the cabinet within a political system have the power in political decision-making. In a [[democracy]], budgets and public investment plans are to be approved by parliament. It is common for donors to fund projects outside of this budget and therefore go without parliament review.<ref name="Moss102139" /> This further reinforces presidentialism and establishes practices that undermine democracy. Disputes over taxation and use of revenues are important in a democracy and can lead to better lives for citizens, but this cannot happen if citizens and parliaments don't know the complete proposed budget and spending priorities.

Aid dependency also compromises ownership which is marked by the ability of a government to implement its own ideas and policies. In aid dependent countries, the interests and ideas of aid agencies start to become priority and therefore erode ownership.