We examine the role of political fractionalization in understanding the “resource curse”. Using panel data for 30 oil-rich countries, we find that the income effect of resource rents is moderated by the political power balance. With a strong government, resource wealth can generate growth...

Summary The literature on the "resource curse" suggests that the quality of institutions determines a country's ability to transform resource wealth into economic development. This article explores the link between resource rents, institutions, and economic performance by focusing on the case of...

This study argues that resource wealth is a key factor for understanding income effects of demographic transition. We develop a simple model highlighting how the income effect of increased labor supply may depend on resource rents, and provide empirical evidence that support the theoretical...

Summary This paper assesses degradation of forests managed by local communities (Van Panchayats (VPs)), relative to state protected and open access forests in the Indian state of Uttaranchal. It is based on ground-level ecological measures of forest quality (including canopy cover, biomass,...