what effect does the presence of natural resources in a country have on a rebel force course hero

by Rosalee Breitenberg 8 min read

What is the relationship between natural resources and civil wars?

The natural resource–civil war correlation, for example, might be the opposite of what it appears: civil wars might produce resource dependence by forcing a country's manufacturing sector to flee while leaving its resource sector—which is location-specific and cannot depart—as the major force in the economy by default.

Do natural resources influence low-level conflict?

While there are additional countries where commercially natural resources may have influenced low-level conflicts, the sample is limited to cases that meet the common definition of a civil war: a conflict between a government and an organized rebel movement that produces at least one thousand battle-related deaths. 37

Did resource wealth make rebels prefer war to peace?

In both cases, rebel leaders generated enormous sums from resource looting; this may have led some observers to falsely infer that resource wealth caused the rebels to prefer war to peace.

How does resource wealth affect the intensity of combat?

In two of the cases (Indonesia and Sudan), a final unexpected effect appeared to link resource wealth with the intensity of combat; the mechanism might be called “preemptive repression.”

How does natural resource wealth affect civil war?

Natural resource wealth may influence the duration of civil war , independent of its effects on the incidence of civil war. There are three mechanisms that could either lengthen or shorten a conflict, depending on how they occur; two of them have implications that can readily be observed in case studies.

How does resource extraction affect the local population?

It suggests that resource extraction creates grievances among the local population, because of land expropriation, environmental hazards, insufficient job opportunities, and the social disruptions caused by labor migration; these grievances, in turn, lead to civil war.

Which mechanism has Fearon and Laitin suggested?

Fearon and Laitin, among others, have suggested a fourth mechanism: that resource wealth—in particular, oil—causes “state weakness,” which in turn increases the probability of civil war. 21. Fearon and Laitin 2003.

What is the sixth finding of the Civil War?

The sixth finding is that resource wealth and civil war are not linked by a single mechanism, but a variety of mechanisms. Moreover, these mechanisms can influence a conflict's onset, duration, and intensity. No single mechanism appeared in more than nine of the thirteen cases.

Is natural resources correlated with civil war?

Recent studies have found that natural resources and civil war are highly correlated . Yet the causal mechanisms behind the correlation are not well understood, in part because data on civil wars is scarce and of poor quality. In this article I examine thirteen recent civil wars to explore the mechanisms behind the resource-conflict correlation.

Who suggested that resource wealth might cause civil wars?

Perhaps the most influential hypothesis on resources and conflict comes from the work of Collier and Hoeffler. 14

Is natural resource wealth causally linked to civil conflict?

First, there is good evidence in the thirteen cases that natural resource wealth is causally linked to civil conflict. I cannot dismiss the possibility that the natural resource–civil war correlation is, in part, spurious, or that causality runs in the opposite direction.

Why are natural resources important?

Of these four, natural resources stands out as the most important because a country without them will not be able to begin production. Natural resources are materials from the earth that people use to meet their needs.

How many natural resources does the United States have?

The United States is blessed with an unusual abundance of six natural resources. First, it has a large landmass that, early on, became governed by one political system. Second, it is bordered by two large coastlines that provide food and ports for commerce.

What are the two types of renewable resources?

Two categories, plants and animals, are considered renewable even though we may be entering the sixth mass extinction. The second, nonrenewable resources, are those that humanity uses faster than nature can replenish them. These include crude oil, coal, and natural gas as well as minerals.

How did oil help the Navy?

Oil was also easily available on the West Coast, allowing the Navy to extend its reach across the Pacific. Oil made possible many innovations, including cars, trucks, tanks, submarines, and airplanes.

What type of soil did the United States have?

Unlike Australia and Canada, the United States had temperate climates combined with fertile soil. The early settlers found rich soil on the Great Plains. 4  This is the 502,000-square mile area between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains.

What is the largest coal resource in the world?

America has the world's largest reserves of coal, at 491 billion short tons or 27% of the total. 6  This abundant source of energy helped fuel U.S. growth during the Industrial Revolution. It fueled steamships and steam-powered railroads. After the Civil War, coke, a derivative of coal, was used to fuel the iron blast furnaces that made steel. Soon after that, coal ran the electricity-generating plants. 7  It still does for many, although that use is declining.

What are the factors of production?

Natural resources are one of the four factors of production, which are necessary for the economy to operate. The other three are capital, entrepreneurship, and labor. If one of the categories is not present, the economy does not exist because production cannot be achieved.

What is the conflict in Mindanao?

Since 1969, there has been active conflict in Mindanao between the Philippine government, Moro Muslim groups, and other armed groups. This has led to widespread displacement, as well as infrastructure and shelter damage. The prospects of a peace deal seemed possible after the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in March 2019, but violence – related to the exclusion of armed groups from the peace process – continued across Mindanao throughout 2019. In the first half of 2020, there were 66,000 new displacements because of the conflict in Mindanao.?

How many people are displaced in Mindanao in 2021?

Besides conflict, displacement, and poverty, a shadow criminal economy, clan politics, and intercommunal tensions also disrupt the livelihoods and economic potential of Mindanao, requiring a nexus approach to response. Overall, there are 155,000 displaced people in Mindanao, 43,000 of whom were displaced in 2021 alone.

Is the Moro resistance in Mindanao?

Mindanao has a four-century-long history of Moro resistance against forces from outside the island, with conflict between the Philippine Government and armed groups lasting since the late 1960s. The communist New People’s Army is active across the country, including in Mindanao. The Islamic State has had influence in Mindanao since 2014.

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