Transcript The Politics of Underdevelopment: Gabon Case Study
The Politics of Underdevelopment: Gabon Case Study Presented By: Sara Tatnall International Affairs Senior Thesis
Gabon
• • • • • Central African nation, on the western coast About the size of Colorado, with a population equivalent to that of Philadelphia Home to dense, equatorial rainforest Decolonized peacefully in 1960, and is still amicable with France Rich in natural resources, including wood, manganese, iron ore, uranium… AND…
In fact, Gabon is considered relatively “rich” in terms of Gross National Income per capita Series GNI Per Capita, Atlas Method G I N Gabon Year (1980-2009) Yet in terms of developmental indicators such as life expectancy and levels of education, Gabon is no better than its neighbors.
Q: Why is a country which is not poor still underdeveloped?
A: Gabon’s extraction-based economy discourages accountability efficient government spending
Lack of Government Accountability • • Because Gabon’s government revenue comes mostly from extractive industries, there is a lack of incentive for the government to be accountable to the people “No representation without taxation”
Government Revenue
Oil - 60% Other 40%
Government Spending is Inefficient