resource curse

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the paradox in which countries with abundant natural resource wealth — oil, gas, diamonds, or minerals — tend to experience lower economic growth, weaker democratic institutions, and greater conflict than resource-poor countries; also known as the paradox of plenty, the resource curse operates through mechanisms including currency appreciation that undermines non-resource exports (Dutch disease), dependence on volatile commodity revenues, the weakening of state-society tax bargains that normally drive accountability, and the financing of armed factions contesting control of resource revenues; Africa's resource-rich countries including Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Angola have been central case studies in the resource curse literature, though scholars debate how universal the phenomenon is and what governance conditions can prevent it