Resources, conflict, and economic development in Africa*

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Adhvaryu, Achyuta; Fenske, James; Khanna, Gaurav; Nyshadham, Anant
• 署名单位: University of Michigan System; University of Michigan; National Bureau of Economic Research; University of Warwick; University of California System; University of California San Diego; National Bureau of Economic Research; University of Michigan System; University of Michigan
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0304-3878
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2020.102598
• 发表日期: 2021
• 关键词: CONFLICT; resource curse; institutions; Nighttime lights; AFRICA

摘要

Evidence suggests that natural resources have driven conflict and underdevelopment in modern Africa. We show that this relationship exists primarily when neighboring regions are resource-rich. When neighbors are resource-poor, own resources instead drive economic growth. To motivate the empirical study of this set of facts, we present a simple model of parties engaged in potential conflict over resources, revealing that economic prosperity is a function of equilibrium conflict prevalence, determined not just by a region's own resources but also by the resources of its neighbors. Structural estimates confirm the model's predictions, and reveal that conflict equilibria are more prevalent where institutional quality is worse.