22 January 2007
The Resource Curse
The natural resource curse is caused by asymmetric global technological and cultural development. Demand for refining minerals is a worldwide phenomenon. It doesn’t have boundaries because of communications. But social cycles are much less universal, reflecting different values and the physical compartmentalization of humanity.
This mix creates the potential for “corruption” in the eyes of the West. On the other hand, it creates an opportunity for community advancement in the eyes of traditional societies by means of the success of one of their members. After all, who pays when “corruption” corrupts?—not the community, but the West.
This philosophy may be short-sighted. When the traditional community achieves parity with the West, it will pay equally for contemporary corruption. But when that happens, it is not likely that payback for previous frauds will be extracted.
The natural resource curse is caused by asymmetric global technological and cultural development. Demand for refining minerals is a worldwide phenomenon. It doesn’t have boundaries because of communications. But social cycles are much less universal, reflecting different values and the physical compartmentalization of humanity.
This mix creates the potential for “corruption” in the eyes of the West. On the other hand, it creates an opportunity for community advancement in the eyes of traditional societies by means of the success of one of their members. After all, who pays when “corruption” corrupts?—not the community, but the West.
This philosophy may be short-sighted. When the traditional community achieves parity with the West, it will pay equally for contemporary corruption. But when that happens, it is not likely that payback for previous frauds will be extracted.
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