Case 247 - Mission Without a Mandate: U.S. Foreign Aid After the Cold War

Hook, Steven W.

This case study illustrates how the debate over the purpose and value of foreign aid programs took a new form following the end of the Cold War. In part, the controversy reflects a fundamental division between the executive and legislative branches over what should be the appropriate role of the United States in the “New World Order.” But it became enmeshed in a broader struggle between Congress and the White House over the institutional, or bureaucratic, structure of U.S. foreign policy. This case illustrates contending points of view on the value, or lack thereof, of foreign aid and the factors that determine the funding and scope of U.S. aid. Class discussion can be guided through four levels of analysis commonly used in the study of U.S. foreign policy: systemic, societal, governmental, and institutional.