Download This PaperMutual Gain or Resource Drain? Attitudes toward International Financial Assistance During the Early COVID-19 Pandemic
26 Pages Posted: 16 Apr 2020 Last revised: 1 Jun 2020
Date Written: May 29, 2020
Abstract
Despite the need for international cooperation on COVID-19, the United States has so far been unwilling to contribute to a global response. To shed light on the domestic politics that may underlie this foreign policy, we investigate how the U.S. public views financial assistance to international organizations (IO)s and developing countries during the early stages of the pandemic. On one hand, the pandemic may illustrate the importance of cooperation; on the other hand, voters may be reluctant to engage internationally during a national crisis. In a survey fielded to 2,500 Americans in early April 2020, we find that personal exposure to the effects of COVID-19 is associated with increased support for IOs but decreased support for foreign aid. We suggest that Americans, especially those most affected by COVID-19, perceive benefits to supporting IOs but not to assisting developing countries. Partisanship moderates this relationship: although Republicans are less likely to support both forms of economic engagement, the positive relationship between exposure and support for IOs is actually stronger for Republicans. These preliminary findings are consistent with the notion that Americans, and especially Republicans, support international engagement when they feel it benefits them.
Keywords: COVID-19, foreign aid, international organizations, partisanship
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Australian National University, School of Politics and International Relations ( email )
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601
Australia