Plundered Nations

The study of natural resource extraction in resource-rich countries often shows that plunder, rather than prosperity, has become the norm. Management of natural resources differs widely in every state; a close examination of the decision making chains in various states highlights the key principles that need to be followed to avoid distortion and dependence. This book consists of eight case studies investigating the political economy of the decision chain, revealing where various states have met with success, or failed disastrously. This original research provides a unique insight into how different countries have handled their resource extraction. This book is essential reading for students, researchers and policy makers working across development economics and natural resource economics.

The looting of the Iraqi National Museum in April of 2003 provoked a world outcry at the loss of artifacts regarded as part of humanity's shared cultural patrimony. But though the losses were unprecedented in scale, the museum looting was hardly the first time that Iraqi heirlooms had been plundered or put to political uses. From the beginning of archaeology as a modern science in the nineteenth century, Europeans excavated and appropriated Iraqi antiquities as relics of the birth of Western civilization. Since Iraq was created in 1921, the modern state has used archaeology to forge a connection to the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and/or Islamic empires and so build a sense of nationhood among Iraqis of differing religious traditions and ethnicities. This book delves into the ways that archaeology and politics intertwined in Iraq during the British Mandate and the first years of nationhood before World War II. Magnus Bernhardsson begins with the work of British archaeologists who conducted extensive excavations in Iraq and sent their finds to the museums of Europe. He then traces how Iraqis' growing sense of nationhood led them to confront the British over antiquities law and the division of archaeological finds between Iraq and foreign excavators. He shows how Iraq's control over its archaeological patrimony was directly tied to the balance of political power and how it increased as power shifted to the Iraqi government. Finally he examines how Iraqi leaders, including Saddam Hussein, have used archaeology and history to legitimize the state and its political actions.

Paul Collier's The Bottom Billion was greeted as groundbreaking when it appeared in 2007, winning the Estoril Distinguished Book Prize, the Arthur Ross Book Award, and the Lionel Gelber Prize. Now, in The Plundered Planet, Collier builds upon his renowned work on developing countries and the world's poorest populations to confront the global mismanagement of natural resources. Proper stewardship of natural assets and liabilities is a matter of planetary urgency: natural resources have the potential either to transform the poorest countries or to tear them apart, while the carbon emissions and agricultural follies of the developed world could further impoverish them. The Plundered Planet charts a course between unchecked profiteering on the one hand and environmental romanticism on the other to offer realistic and sustainable solutions to dauntingly complex issues. Grounded in a belief in the power of informed citizens, Collier proposes a series of international standards that would help poor countries rich in natural assets better manage those resources, policy changes that would raise world food supply, and a clear-headed approach to climate change that acknowledges the benefits of industrialization while addressing the need for alternatives to carbon trading. Revealing how all of these forces interconnect, The Plundered Planet charts a way forward to avoid the mismanagement of the natural world that threatens our future.

Paul Collier's The Bottom Billion was greeted as groundbreaking when it appeared in 2007, winning the Estoril Distinguished Book Prize, the Arthur Ross Book Award, and the Lionel Gelber Prize. Now, in The Plundered Planet, Collier builds upon his renowned work on developing countries and the world's poorest populations to confront the global mismanagement of natural resources. Proper stewardship of natural assets and liabilities is a matter of planetary urgency: natural resources have the potential either to transform the poorest countries or to tear them apart, while the carbon emissions and agricultural follies of the developed world could further impoverish them. The Plundered Planet charts a course between unchecked profiteering on the one hand and environmental romanticism on the other to offer realistic and sustainable solutions to dauntingly complex issues. Grounded in a belief in the power of informed citizens, Collier proposes a series of international standards that would help poor countries rich in natural assets better manage those resources, policy changes that would raise world food supply, and a clear-headed approach to climate change that acknowledges the benefits of industrialization while addressing the need for alternatives to carbon trading. Revealing how all of these forces interconnect, The Plundered Planet charts a way forward to avoid the mismanagement of the natural world that threatens our future.

This text provides an introduction to conceptions of international justice, spanning 2500 years of intellectual history from Thucydides and Plato to Morgenthau and Waltz. It shows how older traditions of political philosophy remain relevant to contemporary debates in international relations.

Through the ages many kings and prophets have desired to see the things we see and they did not see them, we are the chosen generation. Many prophecies of scripture are being fulfilled before our eyes and there are many more that are about to come. The rebirth of the state of Israel and the return of the Jews to the Holy Land is prophesied more than any other event in scripture, it is a sign of the times. Theodor Herzl is considered to be the father of the modern state of Israel. In his book, “The Jewish State,” published 1896, it is said that as a child he saw King-Messiah in a dream, who said to him; “Go, declare to the Jews that I shall come soon and perform great wonders and great deeds for My people and for the whole world.” Theodor’s prophetic dream comes to life in the Biblical prophecies presented in this book. There is seen in the prophets a great and awesome SHOW of God’s mighty power that shall take place in the last days. It is a show of God’s power that is greater than anything He has done before, it is God’s Grand Finale! End Time events and the return of Christ will soon follow.

An anthology of Jewish diaspora nationalist thought across the ideological spectrum

Get the Summary of Paul Collier's The Plundered Planet in 20 minutes. Please note: This is a summary & not the original book. "The Plundered Planet" explores the challenges and ethical considerations surrounding the management of natural resources, particularly in the world's poorest countries. It highlights the struggle of the poorest billion people who are excluded from global wealth and face obstacles such as industrialization competition, low agricultural productivity, and unreliable aid. The book emphasizes the importance of effective governance in managing natural assets, which are often sources of conflict and corruption...