United States foreign aid to developing countries: the Point Four Program in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Abstract

This thesis examines the impact of President Truman's Four Point Program on Jordan. Despite its rhetoric of development and assistance, the Program favored the political and economic interests of the United States and had some adverse consequences on Jordan's economy. The Point Four Program's, later known as USAID, provided short-term aid that was at the expense of Jordan's long term interests. It did however, sustain the economy in Jordan. This paper argues that while there are many benefits of aid, there are harmful consequence. Aid was evaluated through an analysis of primary and secondary resources. The study focuses on accomplishment of the PFP, the impact on economy, and the unintended consequences.