Sounds like a milder type of conspiracy theory to me. Compared to coal, crude oil has higher energy density, provides better fuel to operate machines, and was l

Sounds like a milder type of conspiracy theory to me. Compared to coal, crude oil has higher energy density, provides better fuel to operate machines, and was less labor intensive to extract - isn't it quite enough for oil to expand into coal territory? Without some special political decision? Also, as we know democracy happened to places without mining industries at all.