One reason for this is that large resource endowments provide a huge financial incentive for attempts to overthrow the government and seize power. Rebels know that if they succeed, they will gain immense personal wealth, be able to reward those who backed their coup, and have enough arms to keep themselves in power, no matter how badly they rule.
但令人感到荒谬的是，资源丰富的发展中国家通常要比资源匮乏的发展更差。一种解释是，巨大的资源品赋为颠覆政府攫取权力提供了极大的激励。因为造反者知道，一旦造反成功，他们将获得巨额的私人财富，可以报答那些幕后支持者，并豢养大批的武装力量来维护自己的统治，而统治得好坏根本不要紧。当然如果他们内部的人为了独霸全部财富而自相残杀，那就另当别论了。