Overview

By the end of the 2000s, the term resource curse had become so widespread that it had turned into a kind of magic keyword, not only in the scholarly language of the social sciences, but also in the discourse of politicians, commentators and analysts all over the world-like the term modernization in the early 1960s or transition in the early 1990s. In fact, the aggravation of many problems in the global economy and politics, against the background of the rally of oil prices in 2004-2008, became the environment for academic and public debates about the role of natural resources in general, and oil and gas in particular, in the development of various societies. The results of numerous studies do not give a clear answer to questions about the nature and mechanisms of the influence of the oil and gas abundance on the economic, political and social processes in various states and nations. However, the majority of scholars and observers agree that this influence in the most of countries is primarily negative. Resource Curse and Post-Soviet Eurasia: Oil, Gas, and Modernization is an in-depth analysis of the impact of oil and gas abundance on political, economic, and social developments of Russia and other post-Soviet states and nations (such as Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan). The chapters of the book systematically examine various effects of resource curse in different arenas such as state building, regime changes, rule of law, property rights, policy-making, interest representation, and international relations in theoretical, historical, and comparative perspectives. The authors analyze the role of oil and gas dependency in the evolution and subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union, authoritarian drift of post-Soviet countries, building of predatory state and pendulum-like swings of Russia from state capture of 1990s to business capture of 2000s, uneasy relationships between the state and special interest groups, and numerous problems of geo-economics of pipelines in post-Soviet Eurasia.

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Reviews

This collection of writings about the 'Resource Curse' by scholars from Russia who are familiar with Western and Russian literature provides valuable perspectives on the discussion about Eurasia in Eurasia. The 'multicolored and multifaceted patchwork' promised in the introduction is a plan more than overfulfilled. -- Harley D. Balzer This is an elegantly written and eminently researched volume on Russia's key dilemma: the oil curse. These modern Russian scholars sensibly suggest that Russia's energy curse is severe but not insurmountable. This is the best book on oil and Russia to date and an enjoyable read. -- Aslund, Anders Several major themes explored in this well-written, well-researched volume on the causes, mechanisms, and consequences of Eurasia's resource curse relate to the relationship among resource dependency, economic development, and the institutional environment...A worthwhile read. The introduction is exceptional in putting the subject matter into perspective...Summing Up: Highly recommended. Choice This book is relevant both for those interested in the development of the energy-rich countries of post - Soviet Eurasia and for those interested in the debate about the existence and effects of the resource curse. Its multidisciplinary approach is sensible. Its gloomy view of future prospects echoes that of a wide stratum of the present-day Russian intelligentsia. The contributors are familiar with both the English and Russian literatures on the subjects they discuss. Their conclusions are thought-provoking. Let us hope that they are also action-provoking. Slavic Review 20110901

This is an elegantly written and eminently researched volume on Russia's key dilemma: the oil curse. These modern Russian scholars sensibly suggest that Russia's energy curse is severe but not insurmountable. This is the best book on oil and Russia to date and an enjoyable read.--Aslund, Anders

Author Information

Vladimir Gel'man is a professor in the Department of Political Science and Sociology at the European University at St.Petersburg. Otar Marganiya is president of the Center for Modernization Studies at the European University at St. Petersburg, Chair of the Department of Economics of St. Petersburg State University, and an advisor to the minister of finance of the Russian Federation.

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