This work investigates the complex interplay between the Romanian state and its domestic oil industry during the early twentieth century. Maurice Pearton, an expert in European economic history, utilizes primary archival records and government documents to analyze how the extraction and regulation of petroleum resources shaped national policy. The book argues that the Romanian state viewed oil not merely as a commodity, but as a strategic instrument for asserting sovereignty and fostering industrial modernization against foreign interests.

Historians and political scientists frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the economic development of Eastern Europe. Experts note the high density of the prose and the rigorous reliance on primary source documentation.