But, with few exceptions, such countries are afflicted with the so-called “natural resource curse”: countries with an abundance of resources not only do not do as well as expected, but actually do worse than countries without such benefits. While natural resource wealth should make it easier to create a more equalitarian society, countries with more resources, on average, are marked by greater inequality.
马来西亚有着丰富的自然资源。但这样的国家几乎无一例外地为“自然资源的诅咒”所困：自然资源丰富的国家不仅发展没有预期的好，而且往往在现实中比没有这些资源优势的国家发展得差。虽然自然资源的富足应该使创造一个平等的社会更容易，但从总体上看，资源更为丰富的国家的社会不平等现象反而更为突出。