Natural Resources and Development Strategy after the Crisis
Recent events have rekindled interest in the role of primary commodities in development. Was the boom in commodity prices from around 2003 through 2008 just a cyclical event, or does it suggests that prices have entered on a period of secular stren...
Main Authors: | , |
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Format: | Brief |
Language: | English |
Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2012
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2010/01/11684141/natural-resources-development-strategy-after-crisis http://hdl.handle.net/10986/11097 |
Summary: | Recent events have rekindled interest in
the role of primary commodities in development. Was the boom
in commodity prices from around 2003 through 2008 just a
cyclical event, or does it suggests that prices have entered
on a period of secular strength, driven by factors such as
demand in big, fast growing developing countries like China?
It is notable that, while commodity prices fell sharply from
their peak in 2008 with the onset of the global recession,
they generally remained much higher than previous recession
lows, often as high as in 2005-07, a period of robust world
growth. Furthermore, prices have also rebounded smartly over
the course of 2009. If a period of sustained commodity
strength is imminent, what are the implications for
development policies? Development economists have long
debated the problems associated with the traditionally high
specialization in production and export of primary
commodities of most developing countries. Many argue that
dependence on primary commodities has proved to be a
poisoned chalice or curse for development, which, given this
view, necessarily entails structural change and rapid
industrialization. Others, however, suggest that sustained
high commodity prices could reduce the relevance of an
industrialization-focused development strategy for
commodity-dependent, low-income countries (LICs). In this
note authors briefly review four questions: how dependent
are developing countries on primary commodity exports? What
is the outlook for primary commodity prices? Is there a
natural resource "curse" (or blessing)? What
policies can help poor countries best manage commodity
resources for long-run development? |
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