Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: The 1990s financial crises have triggered changes to the international financial system, the so-called international financial architecture. While much affected, developing countries have had very little influence on the changes, which the formulation of the new Basle capital accord (Basle II, B-II) illustrates. We show that B-II has largely been formulated to advance the interests of powerful market players, at the expense of those of developing economies. For these countries, B-II can raise the costs of and reduce the access to external financing. Importantly, B-II can exacerbate fluctuations in the availability of external financing, an unfortunate outcome, given that developing countries already suffer from volatile capital flows.