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| {{Short description|Theory relating petroleum reserve control to current geopolitics}} | |||
| '''Oil imperialism''' or '''Petroleum imperialism''' asserts that direct and indirect control of world ] reserves is a root factor in current ]. They generally propose that large oil-related organizations such as the UK-based ] and American-based former ] companies play or have played a significant role in foreign policy of governments around the world. This would often be done via controversial methods such as mass ]. It is commonly linked with ]. | |||
| {{refimprove|date=March 2012}} | |||
| '''Oil imperialism theories''' assert that direct and indirect control of world ] reserves is a root factor in current ]. | |||
| ==Control of oil== | ==Control of oil== | ||
| While economists and historians agree that access to and control of the access of others to important resources has throughout history been a factor in warfare and in diplomacy, oil imperialism theorists generally tend to assert that control of petroleum reserves has played an overriding role in international politics since ]. |
While economists and historians agree that access to and control of the access of others to important resources has throughout history been a factor in warfare and in diplomacy, oil imperialism theorists generally tend to assert that control of petroleum reserves has played an overriding role in international politics since ]. In recent years, oil resources were certainly important considerations behind the ], the ], and the ]. Some theories hold that access to oil defined 20th-century ]s and was the key to the ascendance of the ] as the world's sole ], and explained how a transitioning country like ] was able to obtain rapid GDP growth for a time (see ]). | ||
| ===Role of the United States in oil imperialism=== | |||
| As Britain was losing its colonial oil dominions in many countries after WW2 the Unites States oil exports peaked during the Suez Canal crisis in 1956 in which both the United States and the Soviet Union, two of the biggest domestic producers of oil, threatened the French, Israeli and British militaries to allow Egypt to nationalize the Suez Canal. Although consumption of oil has increased imports have dropped significantly, but even with that decline, Americans still import about a fourth of the oil they use. According to Dr. Tad Patzek, the Chair of University of Texas at Austin's Department of Petroleum & Geosystems Engineering, a key issue is that " have to run full-time, at 100% capacity".<ref name=whyoil/> The United States oil industry is based on the import of heavy, crude oil and the export of light oil and oil-related products. Excellent relations with oil-trading countries are therefore a top priority. The United States capitalist economic system makes it so that the major part of oil trade is privately run and therefore based on profit and not necessarily the good of the country. Patzek states that is it, in fact, "impossible"<ref name=whyoil/> to have a natural energy policy and to discuss the need for increasing oil production. He also argues that the resignation of ] as British Prime Minister was due to her unpopular decision to turn the United Kingdom into an oil importing (instead of exporting) country, a deemed necessary action because of its low remaining oil reserves. Various oil producing countries are of such importance to the United States that a war might actually ] than what is gained by waging them. An often used example is the ], which was heavily lobbied for by various ] countries in the Middle East.<ref name=whyoil/> | |||
| ==Criticism== | ==Criticism== | ||
| Critics{{who|date=September 2013}} of oil imperialism theories suggest{{citation needed|date=September 2013}} that because the United States |
Critics{{who|date=September 2013}} of oil imperialism theories suggest{{citation needed|date=September 2013}} that because the United States has historically been one of the leading oil producers in the world,<ref name="eia">{{cite web | publisher= United States ] |url= http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/analysis_publications/oil_market_basics/supply_text.htm | title = Oil Market Basics - Supply | accessdate=2008-03-03}}</ref> the United States would be unlikely to predicate its foreign policy on the acquisition of oil with such an undue focus. They point out that, relative to its consumption rate, oil is not an expensive commodity in the market.<ref name="priceofgallon">{{cite web | publisher= cockeyed.com |url= http://www.cockeyed.com/science/gallon/liquid.html | title = The Price of a Gallon | accessdate=2008-03-03}}</ref> | ||
| == See also == | == See also == | ||
| * ] | * ] | ||
| * ] | * ] | ||
| * ] | |||
| == References == | == References == | ||
| {{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
| ==Further reading== | |||
| * Olien, Diana Davids, and Roger M. Olien. “Why Big Bad Oil?” ''OAH Magazine of History'' 11#1 (1996), pp. 22–27. | |||
| == External links == | |||
| * Diagram: Country by size of proven oil reserves | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Oil Imperialism Theories}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Oil Imperialism Theories}} | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
Latest revision as of 15:35, 1 April 2024
Theory relating petroleum reserve control to current geopolitics | This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Oil imperialism theories" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Oil imperialism theories assert that direct and indirect control of world petroleum reserves is a root factor in current international politics.
Control of oil
While economists and historians agree that access to and control of the access of others to important resources has throughout history been a factor in warfare and in diplomacy, oil imperialism theorists generally tend to assert that control of petroleum reserves has played an overriding role in international politics since World War I. In recent years, oil resources were certainly important considerations behind the Gulf War, the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and the Libyan Crisis. Some theories hold that access to oil defined 20th-century empires and was the key to the ascendance of the United States as the world's sole superpower, and explained how a transitioning country like Russia was able to obtain rapid GDP growth for a time (see Economy of the Soviet Union).
Criticism
Critics of oil imperialism theories suggest that because the United States has historically been one of the leading oil producers in the world, the United States would be unlikely to predicate its foreign policy on the acquisition of oil with such an undue focus. They point out that, relative to its consumption rate, oil is not an expensive commodity in the market.
See also
References
- "Oil Market Basics - Supply". United States Energy Information Administration. Retrieved 2008-03-03.
- "The Price of a Gallon". cockeyed.com. Retrieved 2008-03-03.
Further reading
- Olien, Diana Davids, and Roger M. Olien. “Why Big Bad Oil?” OAH Magazine of History 11#1 (1996), pp. 22–27. online
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