How the rise of globalization over the past two centuries helps explain the income gap between rich and poor countries today. Today's wide economic gap between the postindustrial countries of the West and the poorer countries of the third world is not new. Fifty years ago, the world economic order—two hundred years in the making—was already characterized by a vast difference in per capita income between rich and poor countries and by the fact that poor countries exported commodities (agricultural or mineral products) while rich countries exported manufactured products. In Trade and Poverty, leading economic historian Jeffrey G. Williamson traces the great divergence between the third world and the West to this nexus of trade, commodity specialization, and poverty. Analyzing the role of specialization, de-industrialization, and commodity price volatility with econometrics and case studies of India, Ottoman Turkey, and Mexico, Williamson demonstrates why the close correlation between trade and poverty emerged. Globalization and the great divergence were causally related, and thus the rise of globalization over the past two centuries helps account for the income gap between rich and poor countries today.

Oil and Gas in Trinidad and Tobago presents a historical economic review of the energy sector of Trinidad and Tobago, followed by a detailed evaluation of policies associated with resource abundance and the effects on the economy from various perspectives, including industrialization, labor productivity, education, export diversification, and competitiveness. This book utilizes a wide range of statistical data and methodologies to both economically and statistically analyze these issues at hand. The content of this book will be useful not only for policymakers but also for researchers and students interested in the field.

The Political Ecology of Oil and Gas Activities in the Nigerian Aquatic Ecosystem reviews the current status of the ecosystems and economic implications of oil and gas development in Nigeria, a key oil-producing state. The ecological and economic impacts of oil and gas development, particularly in developing nations, are crucial topics for ecologists, natural resource professionals and pollution researchers to understand. This book takes an integrative approach to these problems through the lens of one of the key oil-producing nations, linking natural and human systems through the valuation of ecosystem services. - Provides background information on Nigerian aquatic environments, its local history of oil exploration and a review of the physical chemistry of crude oil - Reviews global and national perspectives on the oil and gas industry from a physical ecological, to a socio-political and economic ecological perspective - Demonstrates real-life situations of the interactions and impacts of Nigerian petroleum production on the environment and local populations through case studies

It is widely believed that natural mineral resources are desirable. However there is growing evidence that this may not always be the case. Indeed, it seems that natural assets can distort the economy to such a degree that the benefit actually becomes a curse. In Sustaining Development in Mineral Economies, Richard Auty highlights these drawbacks and the devastating effect they can have on developing economies. With reference to six ore-exporters (viz. Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Jamaica, Zambia and Papua New Guinea) he outlines how things can go badly wrong. He particularly stresses the need to avoid `Dutch Disease' whereby competitiveness is drained out of the agriculture and manufacturing sectors so that in the long term growth falters.

This book assesses the full impact of oil windfalls on six developing producer countries - Algeria, Ecuador, Indonesia, Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. This is the first time that the issue has been systematically analysed and related to economics policies and underlying macroeconomic characteristics. The book adopts a broad approach, blending institutional and political aspects with quantitative analysis which includes the results of sophisticated model simulations. It presents new information on how oil discoveries have been used by producer governments, and analyses of the consequences. Finally it concludes that much of the potential benefit to producers has been dissipated, and explains why producers may actually end up worse off despite revenue gains.

Economics is about understanding the rational behaviour of economic agents (households, firms, industries and government) in their decisions to achieve best outcomes of their goals and aspirations. They collectively converge to achieve the utmost economic and social benefits for all in the country in terms of economic growth and development. Economic growth and development occur through efficient use of available resources to meet effective demand and social needs. The challenge that countries are facing is proper application of appropriate policy mix to optimize the opportunities of increasingly interdependent global economic landscape. For emerging economies, a multiple sector strategy that propels economic transformation is crucial. This needs to be predicated on robust macroeconomic policy framework that aligns with global production and consumption activities to drive economic growth process for achieving sustainable development.

This manual has been designed and written with the purpose of introducing key concepts and areas of debate around the "creative economy", a valuable development opportunity that Latin America, the Caribbean and the world at large cannot afford to miss. The creative economy, which we call the "Orange Economy" in this book (you'll see why), encompasses the immense wealth of talent, intellectual property, interconnectedness, and, of course, cultural heritage of the Latin American and Caribbean region (and indeed, every region). At the end of this manual, you will have the knowledge base necessary to understand and explain what the Orange Economy is and why it is so important. You will also acquire the analytical tools needed to take better advantage of opportunities across the arts, heritage, media, and creative services.

'Dutch Disease' refers to the adverse effects through real exchange rate appreciation that the mining boom can have on various export- and import-competing industries. The distinction is made between the booming sector (mining), the lagging sector (exports not part of the booming sector and import-competing goods and services) and the non-tradeable sector. What should the government do to reduce this Dutch 'disease'? The principal options are: do nothing, piecemeal protectionism, moderate exchange rate effects by running a fiscal surplus, combined with lowering the interest rate, and possibly establishing a sovereign wealth fund. The costs of the latter measures may be considerable.

These contributions bring both theoretical models and case studies to bear on the consequences of natural resource discoveries in developed and developing countries. Whether it is natural gas in the Netherlands, oil in the UK, Norway, or Mexico, or minerals in Australia, these discoveries have been accused of causing severe structural problems, which have been given the name "Dutch Disease." Although a sizeable literature dealing with various aspects of the Dutch Disease has now developed, this is the first attempt to confront theory with evidence. Natural Resources and the Macroeconomycontains contributions by such scholars as Alan Gelb, Ricardo Martin, Kadir R. Yurukoglu, and Shahid A. Chaudhry (all at the World Bank); Jeroen J. M. Kremers (Oxford University); Julie Aklaksen and Olav Bjerkholt (Central Bureau of Statistics, Oslo); Lance Taylor (MIT); William Branson (Princeton); Partha Dasgupta (University of Cambridge); and Ronald Jones (University of Rochester). The editors, J. Peter Neary (University College, Dublin) and Sweder Van Wijnbergen (World Bank) have written the opening chapter, Natural Resources and the Macroeconomy: A Theoretical Framework. Other topics include: Adjustment to Windfall Gains: A Comparative Analysis of Oil Exporting Countries; Government and the Dutch Disease in the Netherlands; Policy Analysis of Shadow Pricing, Foreign Borrowing, and Resource Extraction in Egypt; Certainty Equivalent Procedures in the Macroeconomic Planning of an Oil Economy: The Case of Norway; A Macro Model of an Oil Exporter: Nigeria; Commodity Export Prices and the Real Exchange Rate in Columbia: The Money-Inflation Link; Booming Sectors and Structural Change in Australia and Britain; Indonesia's Other Dutch Disease: Economic Effects of the Petroleum Boom. The book concludes with a roundtable discussion which illustrates the divergent views among economists of the consequences of natural resource booms and the appropriate policies which should be adopted toward them. The book is based on a conference held in June 1985 by the Centre for Economic Policy Research in London.