The Impact of Resource Rents on the Foreign Policymaking in West Asia
| Published date | 01 April 2016 |
| Date | 01 April 2016 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0020881717727607 |
| Author | Akif Bahadir Kaynak |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
The Impact of Resource
Rents on the Foreign
Policymaking in West Asia:
Lessons for Turkey
Akif Bahadir Kaynak1
Abstract
The effect of resource wealth on domestic politics has been widely discussed but
its impact on foreign policy conduct is scarcely analysed. On the domestic front,
rentier states not only have the repressive mechanisms to subdue discontent
within its jurisdiction but they can also provide material benefits to its supporters
in return for their loyalties. Hence, for resource-rich countries that have not
already developed democratic institutions, authoritarianism seems to be a widely
expected outcome. Yet, those rentier states may also develop a certain kind of
foreign policy that increases the risk of conflict and political tensions in the inter-
national arena. Authoritarian regimes fuelled by the income generated by the sale
of underground resources can pursue more aggressive policies as envisioned by
democratic peace theory. This article attempts to draw a generalized framework
on the effects of energy resources on the actions of exporting states while at the
same time tries to draw lessons for Turkey, a country located in a troublesome
but resource-rich geography.
Keywords
Resource nationalism, petro-aggression, rentier states, Turkish foreign policy,
energy security
Introduction
The effect of resource wealth on domestic politics is widely discussed in terms of
its links with authoritarian regimes and centralization of power (Mitchell, 2011;
Ross, 2012; Treisman, 2010), though not every study agrees with a positive
relation between those two variables (Thad, 2008). Although there are notable
Article
International Studies
53(2) 105–117
2017 Jawaharlal Nehru University
SAGE Publications
sagepub.in/home.nav
DOI: 10.1177/0020881717727607
http://isq.sagepub.com
1 Altinbas University, Dilmenler Cad. 19, Mahmutbey, Bağcılar/İstanbul, Turkey.
Corresponding author:
Akif Bahadir Kaynak, Altinbas University, Dilmenler Cad. 19, Mahmutbey, Bağcılar/İstanbul, Turkey.
E-mail: bahadir.kaynak@altinbas.edu.tr
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