The papers presented here were first given at the International Conference of Economists at the University of Zagreb in Yugoslavia. The book contains a rare selection of divergent theoretical and practical views on the acute problem of international debt and its repercussions on world economic growth at large and the developing countries in particular.

Carvounis reviews the debt-servicing problems of developing countries, focusing on the experience of nine cases, mostly in Latin America. He stresses the adverse impact on the development prospects of these countries resulting from the adjustment policies that they have been required to pursue. Carvounis criticizes the current austerity-oriented approach to restoring orderly debt-servicing, maintaining that his emphasis is leading to severe economic, political, and social problems within these countries. He argues that the economic capacity and political will of borrowing countries to continue this route is dissipating. Choice

One of the most important and controversial challenges feeing the international financial and trading system is the need for developing countries to meet their high and rapidly growing external debt obligations and foreign exchange requirements. Developing countries have suffered major shocks in the form of global recession, high real interest rates, weakened terms of trade, and rising protectionism against their exports. The International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, Western central banks, and private financial institutions are seeking to avoid a collapse of the international financial system, and developing countries are seeking to grow through increased trade and access to external financing. Yet the fragility of current international trade and monetary systems seriously threatens the achievement of both sets of objectives. Professor Loxley integrates the structural adjustment experience of Third World countries with the policies, practices, and relationships of external financial agents in his discussion of options for reforming policy and of the limitations inherent in implementing these reforms.

"Over the past 25 years, significant levels of public debt and external finance are more likely to have enhanced macroeconomic vulnerability than economic growth in developing countries. This applies not just to countries with a history of high inflation and past default, but also to those in East Asia, with a long tradition of prudent macroeconomic policies and rapid growth. The authors examine why with the help of a conceptual framework drawn from the growth, capital flows, and crisis literature for developing countries with access to the international capital markets (market access countries or MACs). They find that, while the chances of another generalized debt crisis have receded since the turbulence of the late 1990s, sovereign debt is indeed constraining growth in MACs, especially those with debt sustainability problems ... " -- Cover verso.

International Borrowing by Developing Countries analyzes the various aspects of developing-country debt. The title covers various concepts such as theory of borrowing, official and private debt, petrofund recycling, and debt relief. The text first deals with role of external capital and debt in economic development, and then proceeds to examining the historical debt experience of the now-creditor countries. Next, the selection tackles the official bilateral and multilateral debt along with its patterns, magnitude, and the procedures and experience of official debt rescheduling. The text also analyzes the private Eurocurrency debt and the official positions on debt relief and reviews proposals for recycling petrofunds and providing new sources of financing. The last part deals with the political factors that will affect external debt, as well as recommendations for future policy. The book will be of great interest to economists, political scientists, game theorists, and sociologists.

Developing Country Debt presents a variety of views and perspectives on the topic of debt in developing countries, with emphasis on the revolutionary effects of the post-1973 OPEC oil prices on the world's economic system. The book shows how the problem of developing country debt has become inexorably intertwined with the successful functioning of the global economic system. This book is comprised of 14 chapters and opens with a historical overview of developing nations' debt before turning to LDC debt since the 1973 OPEC price increases and the developing countries' abilities to carry debt. The myths of debt are also analyzed from a banker's perspective. The next section presents case studies detailing the economic and political conditions of selected countries with substantial debt and varying degrees of economic difficulty, including the Philippines, Jamaica, Turkey, and Peru. The remaining chapters examine alternative proposals for debt relief and place the analysis of developing country debt in a broader, global context. LDC debt is considered from three perspectives: the development needs of LDCs; the safety and soundness of United States banks; and the U.S. national interest. The role of the International Monetary Fund as a lender of last resort is also considered. The final chapter assesses the implications of debt for trade and the prospects for world economic growth. This monograph will be of interest to economists, bankers, politicians, and policymakers.