48 is wrong without qualification. A resource-rich country indeed can become both economically powerful and it's people empowered -- look at the US. 48 is tru

48 is wrong without qualification. A resource-rich country indeed can become both economically powerful and it's people empowered -- look at the US. 48 is true only when two more constraints apply: 1) when the natural resources are few (like only oil or diamonds), and 2) when the resource is dominated by monopoly, especially when abetted by the gov't, like Saudi Arabia or Russia, or 1970's South Africa.