Rentengesellschaften

A strong dependence on raw materials characterises a growing number of countries in the Global South. For decades, research into this subject has concentrated on the developmental consequences of this focus on raw materials and in lively discussions has generated arguments both for and against the so-called ‘resource curse’. Using the example of Latin American (neo-) extractivism and focusing on Venezuela, this book reveals that resource-dependent countries cannot be accurately defined according to conventional standards. It calls for research into rentier capitalism to be revamped and, within this framework, provides insights into both the economic, political, societal and socioecological particularities of rentier societies in the Global South and, by extension, the relationship between raw materials and development.