BUSINESS MAVERICK: An old curse and addiction are at play in new debates around ivory By Ed Stoddard
, an account of his travels in the region. On at least one subject Drummond was prescient. Describing the effect of the ivory trade on Africa’s economy, Drummond observed that it was “abnormal” as the quest for the commodity became so single-minded that other sources of “legitimate” commerce were neglected or ignored. Indeed, he believed that Africa would be better off once the elephant was exterminated.The sooner the last elephant falls before the hunters bullet the better for Africa.
The resource curse seeks to explain why many developing countries, especially in Africa, remain poor and characterised by corruption and conflict despite an abundance of hydrocarbon and mineral wealth. Its current usage – which mirrors Drummond’s astute observations about ivory – was initially used to describe the unintended consequences of big gas discoveries in the Netherlands in the 1960s.
Against the backdrop of ivory’s blood-stained role in African history, African governments might well argue that they should finally derive some benefit from this natural resource. When Drummond was writing in the late 19century, few Africans were benefiting from the trade. In fact, many were enslaved to carry the product from the interior to the coast.
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