Geography
The Resource Curse and Authoritarian Regime Stability
Quick fact
The resource curse is a well-documented pattern: countries with abundant oil, gas, or minerals are significantly more likely to be authoritarian and experience slower economic growth than resource-poor countries, even after controlling for other factors.
Why this is interesting
Have you ever noticed that some of the world's most unstable countries are also the richest in oil and minerals? It seems backwards that countries swimming in wealth are often poor and oppressive.