THE NEW INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM AND THE POSITION OF THE DEVELOPING-COUNTRIES

The end of the Cold War has changed the international system in a number of important respects. In general, it has weakened the developing countries vis-a-vis the rich North. In spite of the existence of sharp economic competition between the dominating blocks - the USA, the EEC countries and Japan - the North has developed a so-called 'security community' based on shared values such as economic liberalism and western political democracy. This political-ideological community manifests itself in relation to the developing countries in two ways. On the one hand, the rich donor countries set both more and tougher conditions to their development aid. On the other hand, the donors also tend to coordinate their policies to a growing degree. But there are differences in how strictly the conditions are implemented. The economically and politically 'important' countries are treated more gently than the 'unimportant' ones.