Extraction of Natural Resources (GOLD, MINING)

Gold and diamonds have a high value in proportion to their weight and are thus easily exported (or looted) without special infrastructure. The exploitation of oil, coal or metals as copper, iron, tin, zinc and others need more investment in infrastructure, especially when going beyond small-scale traditional techniques. We coded these natural resources thus in one variable (MINING) and gold, diamonds and silver in another (GOLD). For both variables we used trichotomies.

• 0= not applicable
• 1= moderate colonial extraction
• 2= extensive colonial extraction

We considered an extraction of large quantities over a lengthy period of time as “extensive colonial extraction”, while an extraction of medium or low quantities over a lengthy period or a large quantities over a short period (for example a short “gold rush”) was considered as “moderate colonial extraction”. The UN Statistical Yearbooks and Mitchell (2007) proved to be valuable but not exhaustive data sources. 15 countries in our sample scored high on both variables; while for 25 countries there was no evidence of colonial extraction at all. One example is Syria, where petroleum was discovered after independence and no colonial involvement can be found. Botswana is among the countries where the colonial extraction was moderate. Again, an important commodity (diamonds) was discovered after independence. During the colonial period, there has been a short gold boom around Tati and some small mining (Künzler 2004: 179).

Unsurprisingly, GOLD and MINING are related to a high level of colonial investment into infrastructure (see 'Descriptive Statistics'). Extraction took usually place in colonies where also a plantation economy existed (PLANTAT), MINING (but not GOLD) signified usually a higher presence of foreigners from the metropole country. The extraction of bullion (but not MINING) correlates with a higher level of violence during colonial domination (VIOLRES) and more missionary activites (MISSION). There are no statistical significant differences between the regions (sub-Saharan Africa / Asia, North Africa) and British/ French colonies.