Essays on international development: Natural resources and development: Past, present, and future -and- What makes cooperatives work? Social dynamics and international development

Essay 1) What role do natural resources play in development? In the past, societies were dependent on their immediate natural environments for survival. As industrialization and globalization took hold, however, resources became more than just a means of subsistence. In today’s world, resources are both mobile and valuable, which can have positive and negative impacts on development. Looking to the future, the potential for resource scarcity to have a significant impact on international development cannot be overlooked. Potential approaches to managing resource scarcity and intergenerational equity must therefore be considered. Essay 2) Cooperatives should be autonomous and independent from external interference. However, in the context of international development, would-be cooperators often lack the necessary skills and resources required to establish and operate successful cooperative businesses. This essay explores this paradox by outlining the social dynamics at play in cooperatives and suggesting how international institutions and governments can aid the formation of cooperatives while still maintaining the most important aspects of spontaneous cooperation.