This book investigates the paradox of why resource-abundant nations frequently experience slower economic growth compared to resource-poor nations. R. M. Auty, a recognized scholar in development economics, utilizes an extended growth accounting framework to analyze this phenomenon. By incorporating natural and social capital into traditional economic models, the author identifies the structural and institutional factors that hinder the development of resource-rich economies.

Experts recognize this work as a foundational text for understanding the resource curse hypothesis within development economics. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the rigorous application of growth accounting models to complex macroeconomic problems.