The Geography of Interstate Resource Wars

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Caselli, Francesco; Morelli, Massimo; Rohner, Dominic
• 署名单位: University of London; London School Economics & Political Science; University of London; London School Economics & Political Science; Centre for Economic Policy Research - UK; National Bureau of Economic Research; Bocconi University; Bocconi University; University of Lausanne
• 刊物名称: QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0033-5533
• DOI: 10.1093/qje/qju038
• 发表日期: 2015
• 页码: 267-315
• 关键词: democratic peace; CONFLICT; territorial; OIL; TRADE

摘要

We establish a theoretical and empirical framework to assess the role of resource endowments and their geographic location in interstate conflict. The main predictions of the theory are that conflict is more likely when at least one country has natural resources, when the resources in the resource-endowed country are closer to the border, and, in the case where both countries have natural resources, when the resources are located asymmetrically vis-A -vis the border. We test these predictions on a novel data set featuring oilfield distances from bilateral borders. The empirical analysis shows that the presence and location of oil are significant and quantitatively important predictors of interstate conflicts after World War II. JEL Codes: C23, D74, F51, H56, Q34.