The Midas touch: a theory of resource curses
Date
2018
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
This work conducts a comparative analysis on how diamonds and petroleum produce different outcomes in resource curse states. Much of the extant literature seeks to uncover why certain states experience the resource curse while others do not, ignoring vast variations in processes and outcomes among those states experiencing a curse. Conversely, this work does not engage in such ontological arguments, but is rather concentrated on decoupling differences among resource curse states rather than identifying why some states fall into this trap. The theory of resource curses hypothesizes that different resources lead not only to different outcomes among resource curse states, but in fact to different resource curses. Many analyses of the resource curse treat resources only as important as the revenues they generate, ignoring unique material and social qualities those resources possess. This theory considers revenues salient factors in determining differences among cursed states without ignoring how resources’ intrinsic qualities influence political, economic, and civil outcomes. Six hypotheses will be tested to evaluate competing resource curses. A quantitative assessment of thirty-five resource curse states will establish distinct linkages between resources and resource curses. Additionally, qualitative perspectives will analyze how diamonds and petroleum may lead to different economic, political, and violent resource curses.