The effect of petroleum needs on U.S. foreign policy
I know this topic is over-covered at times, but seriously.
More specific subjects worthy of study:
2. the effect of oil on Middle Eastern countries during 20th century
3. perhaps... "what if" scenarios attempting to predict what a sudden oil-less Middle East would be like
4. Oil vs. natural gas
5. Nigeria, why was I not allowed to visit you?
6. Why does there seem to be more foreign policy attention on the Middle East as opposed to South America or Africa when both have oil?
7. Name four oil-rich democratic states
7B. Why not?
7C. How does an oil-rich state with weak institutions become a liberal democracy?
More specific subjects worthy of study:
2. the effect of oil on Middle Eastern countries during 20th century
3. perhaps... "what if" scenarios attempting to predict what a sudden oil-less Middle East would be like
4. Oil vs. natural gas
5. Nigeria, why was I not allowed to visit you?
6. Why does there seem to be more foreign policy attention on the Middle East as opposed to South America or Africa when both have oil?
7. Name four oil-rich democratic states
7B. Why not?
7C. How does an oil-rich state with weak institutions become a liberal democracy?
posted by bp at
12:39 AM
2 Comments:
Can't answer all the questions, perhaps. But there are some "oil-rich" democratic states: Canada, US, Mexico. Other oil producing countries would include Britain. Semi-democratic ones would include Ecuador, some might include Venezuela (though I don't think that's a democracy anymore), and Brazil. And that's just on our side of the globe.
I think the real problem w/ Mid-East and oil is that it's a single export. Countries w/ single major exports (whether it's oil or bananas) tend to have problems, since that industry dominates their political life. And the problem, I guess, is that it's about the only thing those countries (in the MidEast) have for itnernational commerce (no one talks about the Saudi semiconductor, agricultural, or electronic appliances sector, for example).
But having oil doesn't make a country undemocratic. Having only ONE major export often does. Just my two cents.
By
Miguel Centellas, at 5:53 PM
Miguel,
I should have clarified "oil-rich" by further saying that I meant a state that has oil as its single major export.
There are of course democracies with oil, but when a country only has oil (or any single product, really) it has can have wealth without necessarily having governmental legitimacy. As long as there is money for the country to provide a welfare state (i.e. Saudi Arabia), the people won't revolt for more rights.
The concern: what happens if the oil runs out, or if production decreases despite population booms? Problems.
So while some U.S. politicians are (finally) pushing for less dependence on foreign oil, a downside could be increased financial woes for already shaky states.
By
bp, at 10:38 AM
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