Review of the social and economic dynamics under Colombian mining policy: Cursing the blessing?

Abstract

This paper describes the socio-economic dynamics that, in the Colombian case, underlie the relationship between mining and the territory where it takes place. The description includes the key features of public policy regarding mining, under which mineral resource extraction may have produced unintended effects that raise doubts regarding mining's contribution to Colombian economic development. Under a qualitative approach, I carried out a documentary analysis from which I identified several aspects of the economic and mining policy. The analysis confirms several of the explanations for the so-called resource curse hypothesis, the connection between these aspects, and of them with specific policy decisions.