Title:
A curse with no cure? : natural resources and violent conflicts
Authors:
Kamphuis, B.
Year:
2008
Serial number:
11
Journal:
The Broker
Pages:
4
-
7
ISSN:
1874-2033
Language:
eng
Subject:
Economic Development and Trade
Keywords:
economic development
,
political conditions
,
social development
,
development policy
Abstract:
This article diagnoses the resource curse, or rather the ‘resource curses’, and analyses suggested cures. It looks at problems such as poor economic growth, takes a political economy perspective, and examines the link with civil war. Policy recommendations for reversing the ‘resource curse’ have been divided into economic measures and messy politics. A reality check is needed to see if the suggested cures are realistic. The whole list of measures that need to be taken to turn the resource curse into a blessing seems to add up to: install a full-blown multi-party democracy with a strong, open and diversified economy (or keep the resources in the ground). Even when these countries are willing to improve their institutions prior to the resource extraction, they face serious pressures not to do so. While the institutions needed for managing resource wealth need time to establish and consolidate, pressure from countries like China to move ahead is building up.
Organization:
The Broker
Category:
Policy
Right:
© 2008 IDP. This article has been licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported license.
Document type:
E-article
File:
138007.pdf