Natural Resources and Divergence

Is the 'natural resource curse' destiny? Are different ways to link natural resources and economic development? Using two particular regions as case studies, this edited collection examines the divergent development paths of natural resource rich countries over the past two centuries. Bolivia, Chile and Peru are neighbour states with a common history and are globally known by their mining endowments. Norway and Sweden have also a strong common history, and different natural resource endowments (forestry, mining and fishing) are essential to understand their current economic success. By comparing natural resource management in the long run in these two divergent regions, this book can help rethink how developing countries can better take advantage of their natural resource endowments. Specifically, the book examines the interaction between natural resources and different key determinants of long-term development: trade, fiscal policy, sustainability, human capital accumulation and business strategies.

Cristian Ducoing is a researcher at the Department of Economic History in Lund University. He obtained a Degree in History from the University of Chile, and completed his PhD in Economic History at the University of Barcelona (2012). He has worked as researcher and teacher in the University Pompeu Fabra, University of Valparaiso and Umeå University. His areas of work are natural resources and development, historical national accounts and sustainability. His research has been published in Scandinavian Economic History Research, Sustainability, Australian Economic History Review, among other international journals. He has co-authored more than 10 book chapters and has obtained funded in public and private research funding bodies

José Peres-Cajías is assistant Professor at the Department of Economic History, Institutions, Politics and World Economy. He holds a PhD (Cum Laude) in Economic History from the University of Barcelona (2013). His research aims at understanding the long-term economic development of developing regions by looking at the interplay of institutions, natural resources and trade. He published different articles in international journals including Cliometrica, Economics and Human Biology, Journal of Latin American Studies, Sustainability, Revista de Historia Económica and Economic History of Developing Regions. He also contributed to several chapters of books published by Palgrave, Routledge, Springer and Fondo de Cultura Económica. One of his articles was awarded best article published in international journals by the Spanish Association of Economic History.