The International Monetary Fund (International Monetary Fund - IMF) is an organization made up of the governments of 186 countries and, together with the World Bank Group, is part of the so-called Bretton Woods international organizations, from the headquarters of the Conference in which was created.
The IMF is responsible for granting loans to member states in the event of an imbalance in the balance of payments and the restructuring of the external debt of the countries of the so-called Third World. The IMF usually imposes "structural adjustment plans" on these countries as conditions for obtaining loans or more favorable conditions for debt repayment.
These plans are modeled on a neoliberal vision of the economy and on the belief that the free market is the best solution for the economic development of these countries.
The IMF has capital made available by its members and the vote within its bodies is weighted according to the share held. To make the most important decisions, very high majorities are needed (2/3 or 3/4 of the votes), the United States and the group of main European Union countries find themselves having a de facto veto power.
