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Guyana Gold: A Unique Resource Curse?

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  • Gavin Hilson
  • Tim Laing

Abstract

This article offers explanations for the underwhelming economic performance of Guyana, a country heavily dependent on the revenue generated from gold mining. Here, government intervention has spawned a gold mining sector which today is comprised exclusively of local small and medium-scale operators. But whilst this rather unique model appears to be the ideal blueprint for facilitating local development, the country seems to be experiencing many of the same setbacks that have beset scores of other resource-rich developing world economies. Unless these problems are anticipated, properly diagnosed and appropriately tackled, a resource curse-type outcome is inevitable, irrespective of the context.

Suggested Citation

  • Gavin Hilson & Tim Laing, 2017. "Guyana Gold: A Unique Resource Curse?," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(2), pages 229-248, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:53:y:2017:i:2:p:229-248
    DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2016.1160066
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Theodore H. Moran, 2013. "Avoiding the "Resource Curse" in Mongolia," Policy Briefs PB13-18, Peterson Institute for International Economics.
    2. Prebisch, Raúl, 1950. "The economic development of Latin America and its principal problems," Sede de la CEPAL en Santiago (Estudios e Investigaciones) 29973, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).
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    Cited by:

    1. Banda, Webby, 2023. "A proposed DEMATEL based framework for appraising challenges in the artisanal and small-scale mining sector," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    2. Mentis, Alan & Moonsammy, Stephan, 2022. "A critical assessment of Guyana's sustainability pathway: Perspectives from a developing extractive economy," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    3. McDonald, Lewis & Üngör, Murat, 2021. "New oil discoveries in Guyana since 2015: Resource curse or resource blessing," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    4. Konrad Gunesch, "undated". "The Naturel Resourse Curse: A Socioeconomic and Sociopolitical Analysis of Causes and Symptoms Combined with Macroeconomic Solution Suggestions for International Development Policy and Practice," Review of Socio - Economic Perspectives 201821, Reviewsep.
    5. Hook, Andrew, 2019. "Fluid formalities: Insights on small-scale gold mining dynamics, informal practices, and mining governance in Guyana," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 324-338.
    6. Khemraj, Tarron & Pasha, Sukrishnalall, 2024. "Structural change and sectoral interconnectedness in two resource-abundant economies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    7. Poignant, Adrian, 2023. "Small-scale mining and agriculture: Evidence from northwestern Tanzania," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    8. Hook, Andrew, 2019. "The multidimensionality of exclusion in the small-scale gold mining sector in Guyana: Institutional reform, landlordism, and mineral uncertainty," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 1-1.
    9. Adebayo, Eric & Lashitew, Addisu A. & Werker, Eric, 2021. "Is conventional wisdom about resource taxation correct? Mining evidence from transparency reporting," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    10. Obodai, Jacob & Bhagwat, Shonil & Mohan, Giles, 2024. "The interface of environment and human wellbeing: Exploring the impacts of gold mining on food security in Ghana," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    11. Yuanyuan Zhu & Xiaoqi Zhou & Yilin Gan & Jing Chen & Ruilin Yu, 2021. "Spatio-Temporal Differentiation and Driving Mechanism of the “Resource Curse” of the Cultivated Land in Main Agricultural Production Regions: A Case Study of Jianghan Plain, Central China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-17, January.
    12. Laing, Timothy, 2019. "Small man goes where the large fears to tread: Mining in Guyana: 1990-2018," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1-1.
    13. Hook, Andrew, 2019. "Over-spilling institutions: The political ecology of ‘greening’ the small-scale gold mining sector in Guyana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 438-453.
    14. Funk, Charles & Treviño, Len J. & Oriaifo, Juliet, 2021. "Resource curse impacts on the co-evolution of emerging economy institutions and firm internationalization," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(4).
    15. Cano, Álvaro & Kunz, Nadja C., 2022. "Large-scale and small-scale mining in Peru: Exploring the interface," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).

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