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Curse and Boon: Natural Resources and Long‐Run Growth in Currently Rich Economies

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  • DAVID GREASLEY
  • JAKOB B. MADSEN

Abstract

Sceptics of the resource curse hypothesis highlight that many currently rich countries, including the United States of America initially had abundant natural resources. Using new 16‐country post‐1870 annual data and controlling for international spill‐over in knowledge, we demonstrate a robust negative land resource‐productivity trade‐off among major Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development economies. However, we find that abundance in mineral resources positively influenced productivity. Using insights from the new economic geography we argue that productivity‐augmenting knowledge‐related agglomeration effects are natural resource‐specific and favoured mineral‐rich countries.

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  • David Greasley & Jakob B. Madsen, 2010. "Curse and Boon: Natural Resources and Long‐Run Growth in Currently Rich Economies," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 86(274), pages 311-328, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecorec:v:86:y:2010:i:274:p:311-328
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-4932.2009.00617.x
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    2. Dauvin, Magali & Guerreiro, David, 2017. "The Paradox of Plenty: A Meta-Analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 212-231.
    3. Matteo Cervellati & Uwe Sunde, 2015. "The Economic and Demographic Transition, Mortality, and Comparative Development," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 7(3), pages 189-225, July.
    4. Greasley, David & Hanley, Nicholas & McLaughlin, Eoin & Oxley, Les, 2014. "The Emperor Has New Clothes: Empirical Tests of Mainstream Theories of Economic Growth," Stirling Economics Discussion Papers 2014-08, University of Stirling, Division of Economics.
    5. Simon Ville & Olav Wicken, 2013. "The dynamics of resource-based economic development: evidence from Australia and Norway," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 22(5), pages 1341-1371, October.
    6. Magali Dauvin & David Guerreiro, 2016. "The Paradox of Plenty: A Meta-Analysis," Working Papers hal-04141596, HAL.
    7. Greasley, David & Hanley, Nick & McLaughlin, Eoin & Oxley, Les, 2014. "The Emperor Has New Clothes: Empirical Tests of Mainstream Theories of Economic Growth," 2007 Annual Meeting, July 29-August 1, 2007, Portland, Oregon TN 2015-01, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    8. David Greasley & Jakob B. Madsen, 2017. "The Rise and Fall of Exceptional Australian Incomes Since 1800," Australian Economic History Review, Economic History Society of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 57(3), pages 264-290, November.
    9. repec:sss:wpaper:201401 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Sambit Bhattacharyya, 2021. "Commodity boom‐bust cycles and the resource curse in Australia: 1900 to 2007," Australian Economic History Review, Economic History Society of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(2), pages 186-203, July.
    11. Greasley, David & Hanley, Nicholas & Kunnas, Jan & McLaughlin, Eoin & Oxley, Les & Warde, Paul, 2013. "Comprehensive investment and future well-being in the USA, 1869-2000," Stirling Economics Discussion Papers 2013-06, University of Stirling, Division of Economics.

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