For years, human rights activists have warned of the “resource curse,” the prospect that resource-rich, but still-economically-developing countries could find themselves exploited by oil, gas, and mining companies that come knocking on their door for extractive rights.
It isn’t just the companies that are the problem. Plenty of corrupt politicians around the world have been more than happy to sell out their countrymen for personal gain under the guise of permits, taxes, and facilitation payments.
