Under many nondemocratic systems, good policy is bad politics, and bad policy helps leaders stay in office. The result is poorer performance in terms of economic growth.
About the Authors
Bruce Bueno de Mesquita
Bruce Bueno de Mesquita is senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.
Natural-resource wealth has been at the root of Angola's corruption and authoritarianism. By giving leverage to those pushing for reform, however, it has also become a key factor in teh…