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Context Matters – Rethinking the Resource Curse in Sub-Saharan Africa

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  • Basedau, Matthias

Abstract

Natural resources in sub-Saharan Africa suffer from a bad reputation. Oil and diamonds, particularly, have been blamed for a number of Africa's illnesses such as poverty, corruption, dictatorship and war. This paper outlines the different areas and transmission channels of how this so-called "resource curse" is said to materialize. By assessing empirical evidence on sub-Saharan Africa it concludes that the resource curse theory fails to sufficiently explain why and how several countries have not or only partly been affected by the "curse". Theoretically, the paper argues that whether or not natural resources are detrimental to a country's socio-economic and political development depends on a number of contextual variables, divided into country-specific conditions and resource-specific conditions (type, degree/level of abundance and dependence, resource revenue management, involved companies etc.). Methodologically, a future research agenda needs to examine the complex interplay of these contextual variables by adding sophisticated comparative research designs, especially "small and medium N" comparisons, to the tool box which has been widely confined to the juxtaposition of "large N" and country case studies.

Suggested Citation

  • Basedau, Matthias, 2005. "Context Matters – Rethinking the Resource Curse in Sub-Saharan Africa," GIGA Working Papers 1, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
  • Handle: RePEc:zbw:gigawp:1
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    Cited by:

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    2. Yawovi Mawussé Isaac Amedanou & Yannick Bouterige & Bertrand Laporte, 2023. "Institutional and political drivers for copper government take: new evidence for African and Latin American countries," CERDI Working papers hal-04213102, HAL.
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    5. Opoku Adabor & Emmanuel Buabeng & Raoul Fani Djomo Choumbou, 2021. "Asymmetrical effect of oil and gas resource rent on economic growth: Empirical evidence from Ghana," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(1), pages 1971355-197, January.
    6. Nuhu, Said, 2023. "Natural gas extraction activities and host communities concerns in Sub-Saharan Africa: A reflection on the historical riots in Mtwara, Tanzania," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(PA).
    7. Asiamah, Oliver & Agyei, Samuel Kwaku & Ahmed, Bossman & Agyei, Ellen Animah, 2022. "Natural resource dependence and the Dutch disease: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Sub-Saharan Africa; Natural Resources; Political Economy; Institutions; Violent Conflict; Socio-Economic Development; Democracy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B25 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought since 1925 - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary; Austrian; Stockholm School
    • N5 - Economic History - - Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Extractive Industries
    • N57 - Economic History - - Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Extractive Industries - - - Africa; Oceania
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products

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