The Reverse Resource Curse Costa Rica Essay - 1803 Words

The Reverse Resource Curse The Republic of Costa Rica is a small nation; it is home to just over 4.8 million people in an area roughly comparable to Vermont and New Hampshire combined. The land that comprises modern Costa Rica is significantly lacking in terms of ‘classical natural resources,’ that is, fossil fuel deposits, and precious metals, among others. Sections of the nation that do contain such deposits are often protected national forests, or in some cases purposefully undeveloped. Thus, economic development historically oriented towards export-focused agrarian production. Despite this, Costa Rica has been able to commit to a renewable energy grid, abolish its military, and in recent years, develop industries in consumer electronics, medical equipment, and information technology. One of the most curious questions concerning the peculiar situation in Costa Rica is â€Å"Why?† Why has a small Latin American nation been able to completely reform energy production and do away with its m ilitary far earlier than its neighbors and much of the world? Ironically, Costa Rica has been aided in these endeavors by its lack of resources, in a ‘reverse-resource curse.’ That is, a lack of resources has contributed positively toward the development of a stable government and economy. Without large domestic sources of fossil fuels, energy production has specialized in the form of renewable generation. Similarly, the Costa Rican government’s ability to abolish the military stems almostShow MoreRelatedYasuni Itt7226 Words   |  29 Pagesregulates the separation of banking from the media and other financial business outside their strictly financial scope. In addition, subjecting transnational oil and energy companies to service-provider contracts in which it is clear that non-renewable resources are joint property of Ecuadorians represented by the State; declaring certain sections of foreign debt as illegitimate; creating a tax on outgoing capital12, and carr ying out tax reforms with an emphasis on direct taxes, are other measures that showRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesin transcontinental economic integration, in transportation and communication technology, and in the movement of people. These upsurges and their regional unevenness created unprecedented incentives for long-distance migrations, as well as the resources and technologies that made them possible. In turn, these migrations provided the labor and markets that made these upsurges in production, integration, and flows possible. Modern migration is unprecedented in its volume and in its temporal concentrationRead MoreManagement Course: Mba−10 General Management215330 Words   |  862 Pageschanging the fundamental dimensions of business strategy and the meaning of its implementation. These changes affect a broad range of decisions, including the following: ââ€"  ââ€"  ââ€"  ââ€"  ââ€"  ââ€"  ââ€"  How to invest in technology How to lead meaningful human resources initiatives How to maintain alliances successfully What the speed of new product or service development should be What the appropriate time horizons for investments and financial planning are How to implement productive cost reduction How to recognize