Why Nations Fail: The resource curse in Cameroon

Acemoglu and Robinson blog: Oil was discovered in Cameroon in 1977. At the time the economy had been growing well based on coffee and cocoa exports. The arrival of oil triggered a boom with the economy growing at an average rate of 9.4% between 1977 and 1986, but then the slide began. Positive turned negative, and by 1993 income per capita was half of the 1986 level. Though growth then resumed, Cameroon is still about 1/3 poorer than it was in 1986. This poor growth experience went along with deteriorating human development. Life expectancy fell from 56 to 50 years between 1995 and 2006 and infant mortality increased by almost 30% over the same period. Primary and secondary school enrollments declined by 10%. A lot of these declines are due to a collapse of public investment...