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VOL. 12, ISSUE 1 (2026)
The moral gap in global governance: Quantifying the negative duties of international financial institutions
Authors
Saranya Chattopadhyay
Abstract
The prevailing architecture of global governance is characterized by a
systemic "moral gap" where the mission statements of International
Financial Institutions (IFIs) collide with the deleterious outcomes of their
policy prescriptions. This research paper moves beyond the conventional
charity-based model of positive assistance to interrogate the "negative
duties" of the IMF and World Bank, specifically focusing on the obligation
to refrain from imposing institutional orders that foreseeably and avoidably
aggravate radical poverty. By synthesizing recent econometric evidence on
structural adjustment programs and longitudinal data on state-sponsored
repression, the study quantifies the socioeconomic harm precipitated by fiscal
austerity mandates. Through contemporary case studies of Sri Lanka’s 2022-2025
recovery and Zambia’s debt restructuring, the analysis highlights the
persistent tension between creditor stability and human subsistence rights. The
paper concludes that bridging this moral chasm requires the rigorous institutionalization
of the Tilburg Guiding Principles and the establishment of independent
accountability mechanisms to replace the current culture of legal immunity with
one of human-centered justice.
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Pages:420-423
How to cite this article:
Saranya Chattopadhyay "The moral gap in global governance: Quantifying the negative duties of international financial institutions". International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Research, Vol 12, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 420-423
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