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Oil and resource-backed aggression

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  • Colgan, Jeff

Abstract

A common misperception about oil politics is that it has a uniform, monolithic effect on policy development. This paper argues that in fact the net political effect of oil varies dramatically depending on the nature of the petrostate. It shows that oil income, when combined with revolutionary governments in petrostates, generates strong incentives for foreign policy aggression and international conflict. The aggressiveness of petro-revolutionary states is shown to have consequences in both military and economic spheres of international relations. Militarily, the aggressiveness of this type of state leads to a high rate of armed conflicts. Economically, the aggressiveness of petro-revolutionary states shapes global oil markets and international economic relations. The argument is tested using statistical analysis of international conflicts and economic sanctions. The policy implications are then considered, focusing on the negative global impacts of dependence on oil consumption.

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  • Colgan, Jeff, 2011. "Oil and resource-backed aggression," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 1669-1676, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:39:y:2011:i:3:p:1669-1676
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    2. Manal R. Shehabi, 2015. "An Extraordinary Recovery: Kuwait Following the Gulf War," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 15-20, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    3. Brutschin, Elina & Fleig, Andreas, 2016. "Innovation in the energy sector – The role of fossil fuels and developing economies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 27-38.
    4. Omar, Ayman & Lambe, Brendan John, 2022. "Crude oil pricing and statecraft: Surprising lessons from US economic sanctions," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    5. Omar, Ayman M.A. & Wisniewski, Tomasz Piotr & Nolte, Sandra, 2017. "Diversifying away the risk of war and cross-border political crisis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 494-510.
    6. Helena Pérez Niño & Philippe Le Billon, 2013. "Foreign Aid, Resource Rents and Institution-Building in Mozambique and Angola," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2013-102, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    7. Le Billon, Philippe & Pérez Niño, Helena, 2013. "Foreign Aid, Resource Rents and Institution-Building in Mozambique and Angola," WIDER Working Paper Series 102, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).

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