Paul Collier, Laws and Codes for the 'Resource Curse'

Abstract

Paul Collier's proposition that current commodity booms are the single most important issue for the bottom billion is compelling. His framework for a regime of international law and codes to govern commodity booms is worthy of careful consideration by the international community, a community in a season of change in leadership, vision, and potentially direction. With leadership change and transition at the World Bank and the United Nations, and in the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States, Collier's examination of the potential to use commodity booms to transform the developing world is instructive and persuasive in guiding us to look to the past for lessons and to the future with a vision embracing greater roles for international law and voluntary codes.