The circumstances surrounding
African nation’s civil, political, and economic unrest are ridden with
complexities; however the “resource dilemma” expanded by scholars and theorists
such as Ross perhaps aid in understanding the complicated nature of some of the
main issues these nations face. Resource rich nations that have an abundance of
mineral wealth, such as oil, find that this is a double-edged sword; although
it has the potential to bring them great financial wealth, it can foster
insurgency.
Resource wealth is an extremely
valuable tool for insurgent groups in the recruitment of new members. This type
of funding aids recruitment by offering potential members a financial incentive
in exchange for their alliance. However, as Ross discusses in his piece, resource wealth in rebel organizations can create severe issues of commitment that may ultimately undermine their goals. Since members are recruited through a short term financial goal, it is likely they're less committed to the organization's ideology and ultimate goals (Ross, 2004). Therefore, a resource rich rebel group could be successful in terms of initial recruitment, but could face issues with commitment, potentially undermining their success because of issues like abandonment down the road.
So why does resource wealth continue to be such a powerful fuel behind insurgent groups and conflicts? Once recruited into the group through financial incentives, it can be easier to persuade individuals with the ideology of the group. Additionally, financial incentives tend to be powerful motivators for action, especially in communities and regions ridden with poverty. However resource wealth is only one facet of a complex network that makes up the circumstances of certain African nations.
Ross, M. L. (2004). How do natural resources influence civil war? evidence from thirteen cases. International Organization, 38(1), 35-67.
How do rebel groups obtain and maintain consistent access to resources owned by the government?
ReplyDeleteSam makes some really good and important points in this post. However I would like to add that the resources curse also means that the government is less responsive to its people. A key reason for this is that countries with an abundance of natural resources often do not collect taxes from the people because they simply don't need to. The problem with this is that the people don't feel as if the government owes them anything. In other words, when people are untaxed they demand less from their government and therefore receive less.
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