Resource Wealth and Political Regimes in Africa

Political economists point to the levels of economic development, poverty, and income inequality as the most important determinants of political regimes. The authors present empirical evidence suggesting a robust and negative correlation between the presence of a sizable natural resource sector and the level of democracy in Africa. They argue that resource abundance not only is an important determinant of democratic transition but also partially determines the success of democratic consolidation in Africa. The results illuminate the fact that post-Cold War democratic reforms have been successful only in resource-poor countries such as Benin, Mali, and Madagascar. The authors argue that resource-rich countries such as Nigeria and Gabon can become democratic only if they introduce strong mechanisms of vertical and horizontal accountability within the state.

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Mechanisms of Resource Curse and Economic Policy

Voprosy Ekonomiki ◽

10.32609/0042-8736-2007-6-4-27 ◽

2007 ◽

pp. 4-27 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

V. Polterovich ◽

V. Popov ◽

A. Tonis

Keyword(s):

Real Exchange Rates ◽

Resource Curse ◽

Budget Deficits ◽

Resource Abundance ◽

Fuel Prices ◽

Use Of Resources ◽

Resource Wealth ◽

The One ◽

The Right ◽

Rich Countries

This paper compares various mechanisms of resource curse leading to a potentially inefficient use of resources; it is demonstrated that each of these mechanisms is associated with market imperfections and can be "corrected" with appropriate government policies. Empirical evidence seems to suggest that resource abundant countries have on average lower budget deficits and inflation, and higher foreign exchange reserves. Besides, lower domestic fuel prices that are typical for resource rich countries have a positive effect on long-term growth even though they are associated with losses resulting from higher energy consumption. On top of that resource abundance allows to reduce income inequalities. So, on the one hand, resource wealth turns out to be conducive to growth, especially in countries with strong institutions. However, on the other hand, resource abundance leads to corruption of institutions and to overvalued real exchange rates. On balance, there is no solid evidence that resource abundant countries grow more slowly than the others, but there is evidence that they grow more slowly than could have grown with the right policies and institutions.

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Price Stability and Inflation Targeting in Commodity Economies: Macroeconomics versus a Political Economy?

Visnyk of the National Bank of Ukraine ◽

10.26531/vnbu2018.244.01 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 4-24 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Viktor Koziuk ◽

Keyword(s):

Inflation Targeting ◽

Political Regime ◽

Price Stability ◽

Economic Stability ◽

Stability Parameters ◽

Sovereign Wealth Funds ◽

Resource Rent ◽

Poor Countries ◽

Resource Wealth ◽

Rich Countries

In this study, the author argues that maintaining price stability in commodity economies is influenced by their resource rent distribution and that economic stability is extremely sensitive to the nature of a political regime. The commodity factor alone is shown not to be an impediment to maintaining price stability and implementing inflation targeting. An empirical analysis based on data from 68 resource-rich countries provides evidence that the link between the timing of the implementation of inflation targeting and resource wealth variables is not skewed towards resource-poor countries. This study finds that among democracies, inflation targeters demonstrate the best price stability parameters, the most flexible exchange rates, more independent central banks, and more diversified economies, while among autocracies, the best parameters are seen in countries that have sovereign wealth funds.

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The Contingent Nature of Democracy PromotionBridouxJ. (2011) American Foreign Policy and Postwar Reconstruction: Comparing Japan and Iraq. Abingdon: Routledge.BurnellP. and SchlumbergerO. (eds) (2012) International Politics and National Political Regimes: Promoting Democracy: Promoting Autocracy. Abingdon: Routledge.ZanottiL. (2011) Governing Disorder: UN Peace Operations, International Security, and Democratization in the Post-Cold War Era. University Park PA: Penn State University Press.

Political Studies Review ◽

10.1111/1478-9302.12032 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 2-10

Author(s):

Scott Walker

Keyword(s):

Foreign Policy ◽

Cold War ◽

International Security ◽

American Foreign Policy ◽

Peace Operations ◽

State University ◽

Political Regimes ◽

Post Cold War ◽

Postwar Reconstruction ◽

Penn State

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Autocratization in post-Cold War Political Regimes

10.1007/978-3-030-03125-1 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Andrea Cassani ◽

Luca Tomini

Keyword(s):

Cold War ◽

Political Regimes ◽

Post Cold War

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A note on the Dutch disease

Applied Studies in Agribusiness and Commerce ◽

10.19041/apstract/2019/3-4/4 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 (3-4) ◽

pp. 34-38

Author(s):

Wim Heijman

Keyword(s):

National Economy ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Resource Curse ◽

Jel Classification ◽

Dutch Disease ◽

Poor Countries ◽

Trade Model ◽

Resource Poor ◽

Effective Policy ◽

Rich Countries

Many resource rich countries are poor, where many resource poor countries are rich. One of the possible explanations of this paradox called the ‘resource curse’ is the Dutch Disease. This paper aims to analyse this phenomenon with the help of a simple macroeconomic trade model. It presents a number of Dutch Disease Cases of which the ‘Norwegian Case’ provides an example containing an effective policy against the negative impact of Dutch Disease on the national economy. JEL Classification: O11, O24, Q33

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International Society of Political Psychology, Twentieth Annual Scientific Meeting: Political Psychology in the Post-Cold War World

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e512812010-001 ◽

1997 ◽

Keyword(s):

Cold War ◽

Political Psychology ◽

International Society ◽

Scientific Meeting ◽

Annual Scientific ◽

Post Cold War ◽

Annual Scientific Meeting

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Hepatitis C Virus Infection: A Brief Review

JMS SKIMS ◽

10.33883/jms.v23i1.753 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 3-15

Author(s):

Saleem Kamili ◽

Hisham Qadri

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Basic Research ◽

World Health ◽

Hepatitis C Virus Infection ◽

Poor Countries ◽

Diagnostic Assays ◽

Antiviral Therapies ◽

Highly Sensitive ◽

Resource Poor

Hepatitis C, caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV) was originally described as parenterally transmitted non-A non-B hepatitis. Since its discovery in 1989, the field of HCV research has become a shining example of successful translation of basic research wherein in a short of span of just 30 years the virus was discovered, highly sensitive and specific diagnostic assays were developed, epidemiology and clinical characteristics of the disease were well defined and now with the availability of highly efficacious antiviral therapies many countries are already on their way to achieving World Health Organization’s (WHO) elimination targets of hepatitis C by 2030. However, much work needs to be done to eliminate hepatitis C especially in resource poor countries. Most recent data show an estimated 71 million people are currently infected with HCV worldwide and approximately 400,000 people die each year from causes related to HCV. Of these estimates, more than 13 million HCV infected persons are in India and Pakistan (Figure 1). Despite the availability of a cure for hepatitis C, only 20% of those infected patients have been diagnosed (1). In order to achieve the WHO targets of hepatitis C elimination, concerted efforts will have to made to make affordable and reliable diagnostics available worldwide.

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