Power grab : political survival through extractive resource nationalization

"If political rulers' first struggle is gaining power, strategically securing the means to accrue and retain that power is a close-run second. For rulers whose territories are blessed with extractive resources, such as petroleum, metals, minerals, and other precious commodities, converting natural wealth into rascal wealth is key. Squandering the opportunity to secure these revenues will guarantee short tenures, while setting a timeline for sustainable extraction, capitalizing on windfalls, and managing the resulting wealth will fortify the foundations of enduring rule. Libya, Venezuela, and the Democratic Republic of Congo all provide instructive cases."